3/24/26 School Committee Meeting

001Um, good evening. If we can all rise algiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the republic for which it stands, one nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. >> Okay. So, I'm happy to begin this school committee meeting for March 24th, 2026. We're very happy to be here at North Balmouth. That means we get to see kids. We always love to see the kids. Um, if we could start out by hearing our um mission and vision statement. Um, Chris, would you read that for us? Sure, please. >> Fmouth public schools mission. The Dmouth Public Schools creates worldclass student learning experiences. Our Clippers are empowered to pursue their goals with curiosity, integrity, and resiliency. Fellow public school vision. Clippers are creative, inquisitive, and engaged learners who participate in

002their community as socially responsible citizens. Clippers effectively communicate and solve problems that impact the world around them. >> Thank you, Chris. >> Okay, so um I would like to make the recording statement. This meeting of the found school committee is being recorded in accordance with Massachusetts open meeting law. Anyone who wishes to make an audio or video recording of this meeting must f first notify the chair. Please raise your hand and make your presence known if you intend to record the meeting. This policy does not cover parents who may be here um to see their kids and want to record it. That's not included in this um statement. Go right ahead. Come up close. walk in front of us. We don't care. Um, I'm going to make the other public comment u announcement along with

003this. Public comment will be limited to 20 minutes. Members of the members of the public are welcome to speak during public comment. Comments will be limited to 2 minutes in length. Due to open meeting law, the committee cannot respond to or act on public comment. Additional comments and feedback can be submitted by email to thalmouth uh to school committee at thalmouth.k12. us. Okay. Um on that note, we will um hear from our student advisory >> Bella. >> Um so recently or this past Saturday, we did a science fair. So it was at the high school and all four grades and then even some younger kids brought their projects. So that was awesome to see. And then the seniors were there selling tickets for our senior auction. So we got a lot of participation with that

004and that runs or we had the tickets there and then we have our online portion through which runs through the 29th. So that's our biggest fundraiser we have and it supports graduation and then senior week at the end of the year which includes our um trip to Fenway Park which will be awesome for our Red Sox game and then other like senior activities. And then this week at the high school MCAST is happening so today and tomorrow for all sophomores and that's the English one. And then um for English and art classes actually we did a collaboration so we did poetry and art. Um we did it's called shot around Surf Drive and we took a field trip um in the fall with both classes and we learned about its or the war and like

005what Fith had to do and its history. So, we did poems and art together and then that's actually a book and it's published so you can see all of them together. And then we have our reception for that tomorrow 5:30 to 7:30 at Coffee O. So, that'll be awesome to see. And then they're also for sale. So, and then prom is coming up May 9th. So, always rolling on that. I believe the theme is ancient Rome or ancient Greece. So, that'll be fun. And then for theater, Lately Blonde is also happening like end of May, I believe. So all their performances are really great. So I'm excited to see that. And then spring sports games start next week, but teams have been made and all those are underway. >> Thank you very much. She a

006lot of activity this time of year especially. Yeah. >> So good luck to those sophomores on their MCAST. >> Freshman. >> Um Sonia, is it freshman or just sophomores who taken? >> Sophomores. I thought you said freshman as well. Okay. Okay. Well, who's ever taken it? Good luck. I'm glad I don't have to. Um, next. >> Thank you very much. >> Next on our um agenda will be a pres presentation of North D school highlights. Come on. >> Come on. Come on. Hi. Nice straight line. Perfect. Well, good evening. Welcome to North Bowman. Principal Rebecca Vieiraa. I'm very excited to introduce you to our Regal Seaglitz robotics team. Uh, which is a little bit of a full circle moment for us. If you recall last time you were here, we were on that side of

007the room and had a presentation from the high school robotics program. And um, Mr. Irving, one of our fourth grade teachers, um is part of that full circle moment because he not only has a um ex a huge interest in robotics, he's got the personal connection also with a regal seagull as well um with the high school program. So just really excited to be able to present to you tonight our first fourth grade team. Um and they are going to take you through a little bit of what they experienced through their first robotics competition. So, it's a two-part presentation. So, we're going to start with these people here and then we will turn our attention over to that wonderful board that we brought in. So, here we go. >> Okay. >> So, in innovation project,

008we worked very hard. It was a fiveminute judge presentation. We went through a lot of choices for the project. Our problem was that divers can't see underwater without using a flashlight, which isn't the best for the ocean and underwater animals. Our solution was a bioluminescent diving suit. If the person moves, the light moves with it and way better than a gold flashlight. >> For the judging, we went into a room. We talked about the inhibition project and what we studied about. They judged us and we had a lot of fun. Um, each round for the robotics competition was 2 and 1/2 minutes. There were 13 missions as you can see on the board and about and we did about three missions per round and to practice it was pretty hard. Controlling the robot was also

009pretty hard. We had to work together to complete all the missions. We had we had we had some competition cuz our teams are also really good. We got second place in the animation project. The youngest team um in the competition We need to celebrate that. >> Sorry. >> So, do we want to um go over to our second phase here? So, some friends are going to show us a little bit of the mission board and what that maybe look like. So um first question is hello and shy. >> So they got points for each mission they solve. Parents, if you want to stand up and get closer, you >> No, no, they can't. >> They can't. >> Just us. >> No, you can if you want to. Almost one more sec. Come on. Press the

010button. it time for it. Oh yeah. >> Uh so we yeah there were 13 missions. We were able to sell about five or six in the 3 months, two and a half months that we did it. So, um, we had help from one of the high schools mentors came down and helped us, which was really important cuz I don't think before he came, I don't even think we were at >> one. It was a big help. What is the map? >> So the there's a theme this year was archaeology. Um so those are archaeological missions and then the the theme for the innovation project was a problem that archaeologists uh deal with on a daily basis and they they picked the underwater archaeology or bioluminescent wet suit. Yeah, we we went through a lot of

011ideas. So, >> thank you guys so much. I mean whatever. >> Absolutely. >> Yeah. So all this is is part of our was part of our presentation and this is our prophecy. >> No. Oh, actual shirt. >> I know. >> I forgot you want some plugs on them. >> I like it. >> They're great. I love the shirt. >> Thank you. >> I'm pretty happy about it. >> Well, thank you very much for um you know, being part of the process. And what you saw for the students tonight is that there's been a lot of trial and error. There's been a lot of learning. Um I think that every single Clipper trait they have been able to exemplify. Um and we're really proud of this team and how far they've come in such a short

012amount of time. Um, and we're really hoping that this is just the start of something that continues to grow and catch on through the district so that we can infuse that momentum and enthusiasm for robotics going all the way to the high school. So, you know, I think this is just the very first time that you're meeting the Regal Seagllets and and you'll see more of them, but they are prepared for any questions if anyone had any follow-up question. You want to go around? >> Oh, sorry. >> I usually go around. Yeah. So, Margaret, do you have anything? >> Katrina, >> I was wondering, did you self- select to be on the team or how did you end up on the team? >> Um, Mr. Urban gave out flyers to us and asked if we

013wanted to join the team and everyone here said, "We'll join." They had to they had to be able to we met on Tuesday mornings before school and Thursday afternoons uh for 2 hours after school. So they had to be able to meet the schedule um to attend all the practices. >> Right. >> I have a two-part question. You guys ready? What grade are you all in? Starting from this side. >> Fourth. All four. >> Are they all four? >> Yeah. >> Okay. >> Whatever. >> But he comes from. >> Okay. And then my second question is who designed your shirt base? >> Well, like every every person that did the innovation project. And then we had this other really good art teacher. She's called Miss Emerson in second grade and she finished to design her

014shirt and this is the final product. >> I like it. I like how your names are on the back. >> Very nice. >> Good job. >> Yes. >> I just want to compliment you not only on your amazing technical skills, but on your impressive communication skills by telling us this. So, um, congratulations. >> Yeah, >> Sue. >> Congratulations. And I'm wondering, um, Mrs. Vier if they could introduce themselves. >> Oh, absolutely. Right. Go ahead. >> I'm Jake. >> I'm Mason. >> I'm Molly. >> I'm Caroline. I'm Angelina. I'm >> I'm Joelle. And I'm >> Well, thank you very much. I'm sure we're going to be seeing a lot of you kids in the future. >> Chris, >> thank thank you all very much. And I was wondering what was your favorite part about being part

015of this team? >> Yes. I think probably the part where we were like picking the innovation project and like making the soup and stuff. >> I really liked when we um went to the competition. It was really fun and there were um a lot of other teams there. I like um that one day we have nothing done and then the next day we have like everything we came together. I like that feeling too. >> Yeah, >> that was my question. No, I just you guys are awesome. Thank you for sharing it with us. >> We really appreciate it. I just want to uh commend you on your patience cuz I can see you you remained patient whenever the the thing didn't quite go as planned. You kept your cool. You said okay, you made an

016adjustment and it worked. And um so did you spend time I imagine programming each thing that it did and you were patient with that too because it came out successful. So thanks. >> If you would have seen them in September, it was a different story. They they move along the way. It was amazing to see them progress, you know, into October and November as the pressure the pressure got more to get ready for our competition. >> Um, they were really able to get a lot accomplished. >> Yeah, that's awesome. Very good. >> Great job, guys. >> Final thank you to Ador. ator Colleen Draco, our fourth grade teacher here who's not able to make it tonight, but um they are really the inspiration and spearhead of this amazing project and reached out and have already

017connected these kids with some great unique experiences. So, like I say, I think it's the first you're going to see them and not the last. So, >> great. Thank you. Thank you. Um, the next item on our agenda is public comment. I don't have the list. Um, okay. I believe Megan was on there first. I saw her name when I came in. I don't know there's any after. Oh, >> I got to do this thing today. >> We've learned from Megan. They start after they give their name and address >> cuz it's not fair if somebody has a long address and someone has a short address. No, it just gives everybody time to get acclimated. So, that's great. >> Thank you, Mrs. Okay. Hold on. I'm going to figure this out. >> Now, >> I'm

018Megan. I live on shop road. I'm here to speak about the proposed change to policy AI, specifically the idea of giving the superintendent full authority to determine who can access our schools. I want to start by saying that I fully support strong safety measures. Protecting students and staff should always be a top priority, but safety policies must be balanced with transparency, fairness, and accountability. The model language from MASV was updated in August of 2025. And the timing of this proposal, now in March of 2026, raises serious concerns for me. As written, the policy gives one individual broad authority to decide whether a parent can or cannot enter a school building with no clear balances, checks, or appeal process. That is an extraordinary amount of power without oversight. I'm especially concerned because we've already seen how

019this authority could be used. In my own experience, I was inappropriately told that I had to sign an NDA just to visit a public school. I did not need to sign this and I knew to refuse. This demonstrates how access can be restricted in ways that feel retaliatory or silencing. This policy opens the door to that kind of misuse. I'm also concerned about the process. At the March 16th policy meeting, multiple concerns were raised at the last committee meeting. Yet, those concerns were not reflected in the subcommittee meeting. that undermines trust not just in this policy but in the process itself. Parents are not the enemy. We are stakeholders. We are partners in our children's education. Policies should not create barriers between families and schools. They should build trust and collaboration. I'm asking you tonight

020to pause this vote, revisit the language, add clear safeguards, transparency, and a defined process for accountability. Please take the time to consider the concerns of parents and your fellow committee members before moving forward. >> Thank you. Thank you, Megan. Okay. Um the next person who would like to speak is Stacy Budro. >> Hi, Stacy Budro. Cold Spring Lane. I just wanted to come today to actually say thank you. Um, some of you may know we have a new project that we're trying to do at Ticket School. Um, and I'm blown away by the amount of support the community and all of you have shown to us for this project. Um, many of you have donated, many of you have showed up, many of you shown up, many of you have donated raffle prizes, bought raffle

021tickets, some of you even won raffle prizes. Um, it's really brought our community together. We've had hundreds of people express interest in our project and work towards getting this done. And I just hope that we can continue moving forward. Um, it's also brought about some old relationships. I've been around for a very long time. This is my 34th year teaching. Um, always teaching the youngest students in our our little baby clippers. Um, one of them, one of our my former baby clippers right here, who's one of our biggest fundraisers to date. Um, I just want to say thank you. Thank you for helping us. Thank you for joining in. and please keep us rolling >> so we can keep playing. >> Thank you, Stacy. Okay, so that were was the people who signed up to

022speak. We appreciate >> I forgot to sign she comments by >> Sure. Brandon Edel Road short and sweet. Uh, I just want to direct everybody to Felmouth Public School Policy Manual, page 17 that says, quote, "The school committee therefore affirms and declares its intent to maintain two-way communication with citizens of the community. The public will be kept informed of the progress and problems of the district and citizens will be urged to bring their aspirations and feelings about their public schools to the attention of this body which they have chosen to represent them in the management of public education. I bring that up because of the obvious repeated every meeting we hear parents talk about the lack of communication with you know this whole body. So that every time you don't do that you're basically violating

023your school policy. What was more important was page 19 which says quote it shall be a violation of this policy for any member of the school community to engage in any form of discrimination including harassment retaliation or to violate any other civil right of any member of the school community. We recognize that discrimination can take a range of forms and can be targeted or unintentional. However, discrimination in any form including harassment and retaliation will not be tolerated. And I bring that up because of Katrina Deon who both in the December 16th meeting and in the February 10th meeting, the irony there being that that was no Guff week has repeatedly said that several members of this committee basically have been bullying her in terms of her outspoken um opinions and last meeting what we saw

024was when she brought up the Jessie scores. You know, we we spent what, five minutes talking about how Falmouth has slid underneath most of the other Cape schools in all of our Jessie scores. And yet it took you 15 minutes to vote for two members to be on a community board for building because you couldn't figure out that had everybody just pick two names when they voted, you would have had that over 5 seconds. It was lighthearted and humorous, but that really that took 15 minutes and you could only give 5 minutes to the fact that our schools are not kind of living up to standards. So, I just like everybody to keep that in mind going. Thank you. Okay, thank you for your comment. Okay. Um, the next item on the agenda will be

025an update from the superintendent. >> Thank you. Um, I'd like to introduce some someone to everyone. Heather, can you join me? >> So, this is Heather Rivera. Um, she will be the new Sharon. So she's the uh executive assistant to the superintendent and and obviously will be the support to the school committee. So I wanted you to uh meet her face to face. I know that I shared that information with you. Uh currently she is the u principal secretary at Mullen Hall. Uh and um everyone raves. We are so lucky she's going to be with us. And um she has a daughter in Lawrence and a son uh at Texas Tech High School. and uh just still amazes me because I remember um your daughter when she was in Mand. So um anyway, she's been

026with us um she's been in that role for 5 years and before that um she started at Mullen Hall as a teaching assistant and I think it's really special. She um was helping out in many many different um uh ways at the school and then um the position came and she applied for that and now she's going to be moving into our office. So, I know she's going to miss the kids, but now she's going to see kids in all seven schools. So, sounds that if you have anything to add, I'm just looking forward to everything ahead. I have big giant shoes to fill, but I will work hard and I look forward to being here and part of the school with you. >> Nice to meet you. When when do you when's your official

027start? >> July 1st. This is my official date. >> But I'll be I'm sure I'll be >> she's transitioning in quite earlier officially. Sharon lucky to be with us till 2:30. It's 2:30. They will be working together. Um as well as we've already hired um the principal secretary from Mullen Hall and um so they'll be transitioning as well. And the next step um is um which was also internal. So that position uh will be posted and so we're we're working our way and we'll >> Yes. >> Thank you. >> Maybe we'll get some decent minutes now. So, I have a couple other updates. Thank you. Um, and I wanted to mention the uh TT playground. I feel like every meeting I'm probably going to be giving a shout out because it is absolutely amazing how

028um the communities uh come together. I run into people that are just so proud to actually be donating to it. I think um you know, as Stacy said, it really is bringing community together. Um the spaghetti dinner and raffle last night was absolutely um amazing and uh so I checked in on the school today about how much uh where they are and they're up to 75,000 now. So that is absolutely amazing. Um there was also I got to just give a little shout out. There was a lunch they did a lunch fundraiser and um and so one of the substitutes had made the chicken marcella. It was just delicious. Anyway um so that was good too. So, they're very creative in all the um fundraisers they're doing. I'd I'd like to also say that Representative

029uh David Vieira um had uh in the fair share um uh budget was able to um uh raise or get approved 50,000 uh for the Ticket Playground. So, I just wanted to make a public announcement on that because that's really huge. Um and now it'll go in April to the Senate and um and we'll see, you know, what happens there. I think that's that that was really special. So just everyone really is coming together. Um >> that's awesome. So that's good. >> Um the other thing I wanted to mention is as we are um moving forward with the uh timeline for the MSBA and the Lawrence school renovation. Um the select board uh continues to um make appointments to the school building uh committee as that is their authority. And so um a couple weeks

030ago they had named four people. Um and last uh night they had uh named four more uh which includes the two um uh school committee members that you had uh elected uh last time. So Margaret and uh Sus um Susan will be um on that uh as well as Paul Dart will be wearing two hats on the committee. he'll have the budget hat and then there there are requirements um from MSBA u people have to represent certain roles. So um he'll have the budget and um the uh school building maintenance um piece uh of it. So the school building just how we take care of them. So that's um that's good. the um and then uh Heather Goldstone was selected as um the representative of the authority um to build uh school buildings in our

031town. So according to the charter, there's just layers here. According to the charter, um the select board is the authority that can build a school building. And so um she will wear that hat. And as I had said before, um uh Doug Brown was selected as the select board representative. uh as well as um the town manager, the superintendent and the and the school principal are required and so those are selected. They had wonderful interviews last night. There were seven interviews um uh for um various positions. Uh there were several there that I had the um architect, engineering, construction um design work. Uh so they uh did the seven interviews. They did not name um the members to the uh committee yet. We're going to do that I believe scheduled for April 13th. Um and

032so we continue to to get members for that that committee. So just I wanted to um confirm that we started our um uh site visits. Uh so we've um asked um you know staff members from both Morris Pond and Lawrence um as well as um you know parents if they would like to go on a site visit. We're visiting uh right now we have five um visits planned. We're uh looking at either um middle schools that are being renovated or new builds so that we can just kind of see um and get in mind um you know what what we like and what we don't like. The tours um we had one this week on Monday and the tour was um very nice um the two buildings and you learn a lot on the tours.

033Um, so we had a a group of six on that one and I think another one's coming up next week and Sandy I think you're on that one next one. So we're just kind of sharing everyone's on it. So um and so we will be asking uh members of the uh school building um committee um that you know if they want to take one of the visits they can go on one of the visits too. So just we we'll get the dates out um because we're just still kind of forming and getting things together and madam chair that concludes my update. >> Thank you very much. Okay. Um next we will have a budget update and our hearts are already a flutter at the colors because that's what this is for, right? >> Yeah. Bear

034with yours. >> Yes. >> If I could I want to ask uh Dr. for a question, but if I could because it's on the agenda, there are people here from the Ticket Playground Committee. If they have anything to say, >> could I ask for that? Um, as much as I would like to, our protocol is that we um I was going to say something out myself, which I should have. Um, which is Dominique, >> I hope you have like a whole bunch of extra pairs of shoes cuz running around so much. So, but um >> yeah. >> Um Okay, >> that's fine. Yeah. >> Okay. >> Sure. So, I also have a question, but it ties in with the budget, so I'll wait to ask my question regarding the playground after you give your update.

035>> Sure. >> Okay. >> So, are you ready? >> Go. >> Thank you, Paul. >> All right. Um, so you have the table uh two handouts. One is the January and one is February uh year to date. So, we'll just focus on the February year date incorporates the um January. We just missed a couple meetings with the snowstorm, etc. Um, but let me just give you uh sort of a high level overview for a moment. Um, in March, now that the uh the contract's been ratified with the FDA, there's going to be some adjustments. Um so we'll give a lengthier budget discussion in April um as we catch up to the now that the increases have been formalized. So there's a sort of a one-time adjustments that goes through to carry out for the first

036few months that the G contract will get in place. U but with that said overall we're in great shape. Um we're good. We're with uh uh you know to date we've spent uh out of our budget 61,424. Uh we've either encumbered or expended 35,870. Uh we have 25 million 55654 uh to go for the remainder of the year. Both salaries and non salaries expenses. Um the no big surprise within the budget in the year to date. Uh the areas that we uh tend to over run right now or building maintenance cost. Um they're up about 159,000 over the what the uh budget was. It's one of our targets going forward is to increase that much. Uh we do a lot of work that comes um gets charged to the building maintenance in the summer. Um

037it also uh you know things break down throughout the year. It's hard to anticipate that. Um and you can have a heavy cost. You know the generator broke down at the high school. We had to order a $10,000 part that day to get it back online um in this recent storm. So that gives you a sense of how things can come up. But overall um we are in good in great shape with the budget. The uh um our out of district tuition is another item that uh we've talked about a lot. Uh we were expecting about $3.4 million in out of district tuition will probably be slightly under that right now. The total probably be two 3.2 2 just over $3.2 million range. Um so we're we're in good shape there. Um we're over budget

038on the transportation side for out of district students, but we anticipated that. Again, overall we're in great shape. We'll have some more details for you coming at the end of March. We're just making these adjustments now. Um, so we get a flavor from you know where we'll end up uh at the end of this one. All right. >> So start on this side with questions, Kevin. >> Um, yeah, just a couple ones. I'm just wondering if there's anything in particular for East and Tek. >> Yeah, East >> or in the red. Is there anything in particular that's driving that? And then I guess the converse of that is like Morris Pond is doing rather well with unspent funds. So is there anything? >> Yeah. And you're going to see that in one case uh what

039drives the non-salary side is typically uh the building maintenance side. And so, for example, on the east uh Felmouth, uh we did early work uh this school year uh that uh you know, we did a floor project for one of the rooms to get ready for an extra uh prek classroom that we had to do uh quickly. We had already allocated money on the big articles. We expensed it. Uh we did some painting work in East also. uh and so uh and then we did some outside concrete work. So that that's why you see these fantasy that was uh very expensive project with the uh the fire alarm system. Uh we had problems with the fire alarm early on and we were ending up on replacing all of the sensors uh throughout the building uh

040to try to find the ones that were uh causing an issue. Um and so um it was it was a very expensive project almost 24,000 uh as we went through that whole cycle with that fire alarm. So those are the two those are two examples that kind of drive those numbers into the red uh beyond the normal maintenance repair work that's done in these buildings. >> Can I have a followup? >> It's related. So I'm just my my only other concern is like just because these are um running in the red I mean stuff still breaks. >> Okay. So, uh, we're still, even though that budget line, we're just going to have to move money from someplace else to because stuff is still going to need maintenance, right? >> That's right. That's right. And and

041we have the flexibility within, >> right, >> in overall budget to do that. There are unspent funds and other there's, you know, close to a thousand lines of of budget uh that ultimately sum up and so that there will be unspent line. I'll give you an example. utilities. Uh despite the fact that our gas costs will be probably $50,000 higher given the cold of this winter. Our electricity costs are going to be almost $100,000 lower. So, the net of the two is is we'll have $50,000 remaining that helps to offset our higher maintenance costs and so on. >> Yeah. I just wanted you to address it because I pointed out that we were in the red and I don't want people in those buildings to think that nothing's going to get fixed just because we're

042in the red because I know we'll find and it's typical if you have a and I'm glad you brought up the point. If you have a big repair job that happens one building, there's another building that hasn't used up its funds and has gone through the year without event. And so you you we reallocate throughout the year at this time. We don't necessarily change our budget targets, >> right? >> But uh uh we reallocate amongst that and and amongst other expenses that aren't as high as they may have been anticipated to begin the year. So um but the the overall picture we are in good shape and that uh you know if you if you looked at last year I was more worried given this sharp increase in out of district tuitions and I kept

043forecasting that and this year we're very close but under where we were forecasting so we're in good shape. I I I don't see any surprises here uh coming down the road for uh the end of the year. Actually, I I I feel quite good. >> Thank you, Chris. >> No problem. >> I apologize if I missed it, but could you just clarify for me why some of the salaries are encumbered and others? >> Yeah, it's interesting. Uh there are certain uh employees that are not direct employees. They are hired as contractors especially in the speech field. >> Okay. >> And be by that nature when you come to a third party service we have to encumber that. So that's that's what that encumbrance on. >> Okay. Thank you >> um yes. Thank you Paul. I

044don't have a question related to salaries but I do have a a question related to budget. Um can you just educate me if a for example during the blizzard if a tree had fallen on the roof of one of the schools and that was an emergency repair how how would we procure funding to make that repair? Well, in in uh in the case of uh I'll give you the example uh here uh at this building several years ago, we had pipes that froze >> over the weekend and we have our own insurance program that now kicks in for anything above the $10,000 and then we then make the repairs based on that and charge it back to uh insurance for reimbursement. So you're working with the insurance company simultaneous to getting your stuff done. >>

045Okay. The reason that I ask is um is there any um similarity between that situation and what happened with the playground at Ticket? >> No. One is you could you know one is you know the t ticket playground is is 28 years old and it's not done by a fault of nature. It it is done because it's the pro the playground itself was 20 years old. You can't submit a an insurance claim on that. Wasn't hit by a tree. It wasn't u hit by a car. was deteriorate out of natural wear and tear. >> And just one last thing, um does the district have a contingency fund that um that you know is available for unexpected expenses. Um >> we work within the budget. So uh we have the funds that we outlined at the

046time in the budget. We have our major budget. Um, you know, and as I said, for normal wear and tear on these buildings, we're about 159,000. Our maintenance budget is a million53. That does not count salaries. That's just general maintenance on the buildings. Uh, so we have our our that we're 159,000 over that budget. Uh we have our grant programs that uh fund our educational programs or fund our uh out of district tuitions like the uh 240 grant, the title one grants. Um and we have school choice funds u and school choice funds you can't use for capital pro projects um you can only use for general education purposes. So those are the available funds to us along with circuit breaker which is again dedicated to uh uh special needs out of district tuition uh

047and transportation. So um that's what we have. So, you know, a tick project was, you know, the estimate is 388,000. Uh, to put that into a budget, trying to do that in the given budget would be very difficult. It would have to rearrange the budget uh to do. 84% of our budget is salaries. Um, so you know, our total non salary budget is $9.9 million in rounded numbers. So that would be a big expense to try to move that into the budget. Plus, it's a capital audit. You know, it's by definition a capital audit. We try to do that through the capital program of the town. We also use the, you know, in the play case of the playground, we use the CPC. uh if they have available funding to help on those type of

048projects. >> Thank you. >> All right. >> I have a question for you, Paul. It's gonna be a curveball. You ready for it? Sure. >> Remember years ago we talked about that money for the Lawrence principal. It was like a an amount. It was like a million and a half or whatever it was. >> That's right. >> What happened with that account? Because I I don't know the answer, but wouldn't that free up some money to move other places >> that's been used as part of our ongoing it's already incorporated into the budget. >> So the princip Yeah, it's it's so we don't in the in the dollar amount that we approved for the budget. >> We haven't we haven't been at the high school uh principal salary on the budget. charge included >> for

049that fund. >> That's all I can think of right now. >> Could I just um stop here? And some people who can't keep budget items. I mean, I know from your your father, maybe you can keep an eyeball on things that the man on the street might forget or be fuzzy on. Could you just tell us about that principle on it again quick? >> Sure. Uh >> we would Yeah. uh years back. Uh Lawrence family, >> hundreds of years back, >> years a long time ago. I think is it or something? >> It was Yeah, it was long time ago. >> Lawrence family donated a fund set aside money uh to be used to pay the high school principal salary um at the time. and that money has been acrewing since then. Um, and then

050the town and unbeknownst to the the district is we don't we don't see those accounts. We don't it doesn't show up on our our software for the town. But essentially that money has been acrewed interested earnings since that time and and went from you know $10,000 don't hold into that number. was pretty small amount and grew to about $1.1 million. Uh and then to as our budget grew, this town was examining all of the trust funds or monies available, they came upon that fund and we then used it within the budget for principal salaries. >> Thank you. >> One question. That's it for >> I'm shocked but okay. Um thank you for the update Paul and I'm really glad to hear that things are looking good and you're not expecting unexpected. >> Yeah. >> Um

051I you just raised a question though when you were talking earlier um about school choice funds. I I think I heard you saying they cannot be used for capital projects only for did you say educational services? that general general budgets budgets really for for the entire population of benefit for the population of students. >> Um and so I'm just trying to remember was there a meeting in January or some time where it was mentioned that we had paid legal fees out of the school choice account. So how does that how >> still because there's it's still for the benefit of >> okay so that falls under the umbrella of >> yeah you have wide discretion within that term uh to expense to school choice the real limitating factor is capital projects >> okay >> they

052just won't >> that's it thank you I think my questions have been answered thank you Okay, thank you. >> Okay, so the next item on the agenda is a first read on change to the 202627 school calendar. So Lori. >> All right. So if you'll remember um we had um uh had an agreement with um the FBA, our u educators association that we would add a half day for um additional um parent teacher conferences. So, if you look at the the calendar, we do already have one day um for next school year, and that was in December 8th. And so, we've added the day in November. And working with uh the FBA, we uh came up with the best day being uh November 17th. So, that Tuesday. So, we're we're limited to Tuesdays because it's

053the early release days. And so that's to to change off of that would be a change for parents. So making it important to do that. Um we wanted to leave the the the first full week. Um the next week um we were concerned having a half day before um the holiday and so and then uh the in the agreement if you'll remember we were not to have them uh during the uh Thanksgiving week. So um we came to the conclusion that November 17th so that's the only change to this calendar but I am bringing it back to you so that um first read we'll vote on it next meeting that way I can get the information out to the parents um that there is just that one slight change for ne for next year. Okay.

054So, questions. Um, starting in the middle part. Brenda. >> No. No questions. Sue. >> No. Chris. >> No. Margaret. >> No. >> As long as the FDA is happy, then we're happy. >> Okay. Thank you, Lori. So, again, that's the first read. We'll vote on it at the next meeting. Um, we also have a first read on the next year's after that calendar. So, um when I came here, I started the um putting out uh two years at a time that gave um parents as well as our staff um plenty of notice um for any plans that they um would like to make. So, um I'll just go through um even though you'll see that uh Labor Day um is on the 6th of September, uh we did make a decision with the FBA that

055we still wanted to go after. If you'll remember, we talked about going before um Labor Day the first time, but it will be next year. And that's a pilot. And since we do not know how that um will go, um we made the decision to keep it after Labor Day. Let's see how and then we'll we'll see in the future after we get feedback from um staff and parents on that. So um yep. So we start on September 7th, the Monday after or the Tuesday after Labor Day. you will see that we placed the uh other um to continue the second parent teacher conference day um would be an early release on November uh 16th but it is placed in the same place that's that Tuesday and uh in December um we uh marked uh

056the 23rd as a half day uh for staff and students uh that's uh right before that's been pretty typical And then um the end date um which is really the only other thing here is if you look at it would be the uh the 21st uh would be the last day half day. If there's snow days uh it would be uh the half day would then you know anywhere in between the 21st and 28th which is typical we have to fill in those five five snow days afterwards. So uh everything else on the calendar is um mirrors what we've done in the past. Margaret question. Um, if Melissa would hear her, she would say, "Yay." So, I'll say it for her. Um, and I was just wondering if, um, you could just explain to me

057why the end of school date for that year is two or three days. I mean, I understand where the days fall on on the holiday and weekends and stuff. Is that maybe just why it's so much later in June for the scenario >> starting on the Labor Day which has been some of that discussion and you know is that it's uh the 7th which is late >> right it just pushes at the end of each year start >> yeah it is >> it just every every now and then that's exactly what happens and pushes to the later later part of um June that's it >> Mike I have no questions thank Mhm. >> I think we could just looking at it. >> That's okay. >> Yeah, it's okay. >> Okay. So, that was also a

058first read and thank you for the information. Next will be some policies to consider. We have first reads on administrating administr but medicine to students. So Lori would you? >> Yeah. So this is the first read. Um it's been um revised to reflect recently amended Massachusetts uh Department of Public Health regulations and we've met the subcommittee and we've discussed it. You can see the changes um the recommendations uh everything in uh red highlighted in yellow uh are changes uh so you can see what is uh different there but we um it's with the strikeout is what we're suggesting to take out. So the um subcommittee did review it and um made the decision to bring this forth uh as is um for the school committee to consider. >> Okay. Um oh starting this side, Kelly,

059>> I just have a quick one. So in the second paragraph it talks about approving the procedures that the school committee needs to oh my goodness. >> Um so is that something that will then come later after this? >> As soon as you um uh our wonderful Sandy Capsellis is already um looking at writing those procedures for us. >> Okay. So, um, but yes, we want this approved first, make sure there's no changes, and then she will she will bring back the procedures for our review. >> Thank you. >> I just had one question. A lot of this stuff, >> is this coming from Desie? >> This is actually the um uh Department of Public Health. >> Okay. For both the physical restraints and the medication. >> Yep. Just just the medication. >> Medication. Okay.

060And >> then the phys f physical restraint some of these changes were recommendations or this came out of policy. >> Are we talking about that yet? >> No. Can we just >> Oh, I'm sorry. Sorry. >> Can we just stick to one? Um, >> not my only question for that. >> We'll come back to that. >> Thank you. >> I don't have any questions on that one. >> No. Okay. We were lucky to have um our school physician and our head nurse there who helped explain some of the things and um was good because we're not you know medical experts. So it was really good to have him here. They had a lot to help us. I forget exactly why we have to make the decision why the school committee ends up doing it but

061it's anyway. Okay. So if you have if you can't think if you have questions but you didn't think of them yet, please contact the policy committee. Um so Melissa's not here so let's direct them to her if you're not here. I'm just >> actually she would appreciate that one. >> Yeah, she this is a perfect >> Yes, it is. >> It is a perfect one. >> I didn't even think you were joking. I thought that was >> Yeah. >> I I think I'm kind of tired tonight so I'm punchy. I'm sorry. Yeah. Okay. The next one is um physical restraint. Lori, >> um again, there's um a few um um updates to this policy uh recommended updates as you can see. Um I uh don't want to put Sandy on the spot, but do you

062want to speak anything to the fiscal things? >> Yeah. So, this this was some um there are new regulations from the Department of Education and they actually will not be um fully implemented until August 17th, so for the new school year. Um but there are some changes to the the terms used for timeout in seclusion. And so the expectation is as a district we needed to um amend any of our uh school committee policies and then we will be doing training for all staff um with regard to the new recommendations from Desi. >> Thank you. >> All right. Question. >> Um you're saying that you'll be doing training with the staff. Um, regarding the uh will you actually be training people though in physical restraint? >> No. No. Just changes to the the guidelines of

063what's what's considered time out. That's the definitions have changed. So the the um there there are some staff that do safety care training which does involve an element of uh physical restraint as part of the process, but that's not that's not training that we're doing with all staff. >> So the change in the definition um for seclusion is something that's much different than we've had before in the district. Right. So having a um a door that is closed and a student feels like they cannot leave that space that's considered seclusion. >> Okay. >> Thank you. We if I'm not mistake we have special restraint training. >> We do safety care. >> Safety train. >> Another we have a team in every building. >> A different topic. Yeah. >> Okay. Any other questions? Of course, Mike.

064>> Yes. So, did this these changes come from Desi or policy? >> Well, if it came through Desi, >> it came through Desi. And then I I would like to the I don't understand the seclusion room. You're putting a a student in a room with no one in it. >> No. What the what the Department of Education is saying is that any any space um could be considered seclusion. So, if I said to you, you're not allowed to leave this cafeteria right now, and we closed the doors, that could be considered seclusion. >> Okay? >> So, it's a it's it's different than how we've used the terms um timeout or for somebody going for a um a break for self-regulation. It's just a a change in practice for all of us. And so that's why

065we need to do some training about the the change in the terms and what the expectations are for for the um seclusion. And you can look more specifically here at the definitions. They're very particular about what is required if a student was did require seclusion. Like there needs to be a you know a doctor's note, there needs to be a note from a medical provider that uh there's no trauma history. There's a lot of a lot of things that would be required to be in place. and obviously permission from um family or guardian. >> All right. And I have another question. It could be a two-parter. You said certain people are trained in the restraint practice. My next question is um physical restraint shall not be used. And there's a bunch of reasons, but uh

066number three, I'm sorry. Yes. Number three at the top of the page as a response to property destruction uh disruption of school order. Uh that's fine. But then the last part which it's not fine but you know but the last part verbal threats when those actions do not constitute a threat of assault or immediate serious physical harm. If a cla a classroom teacher is required to determine at the moment if something is a credible threat and then what do they do? They call in because not all the teachers are trained in that they would call in the safety um care team >> and then the safety care team could use physical restraints if needed. But again it's still a judgment call on whether it does constitute a threat of assault or imminent serious physical harm.

067So that's my concern or question is the the the classroom teachers who might not be trained can't do physical restraint at all. >> No, >> they can't. >> No. So the uh I'm not sure where you were referring to on that page. Could you could you >> uh top of this page right here, Cindy? >> The end of item number three. >> Number three. Yeah. Right. >> So, I I I don't know if it's a a policy question or how that would work when a teacher can't restrain someone, which is fine. >> Yes. >> But then they have to call in someone to restrain the person and that person would have to deem it be an imminent serious physical threat. >> Right. So I call this words of restraint um are that's that's like a

068that is a last resort measure and the safety care training we do is primarily focused on verbal deescalation. So it's focused on the staff being able the people who are trained using that the deescalation techniques about how you approach a student the way you speak to somebody your your physical presence what's around you. So there's a lot of elements. the very last part of the training and the last resort would be uh you know a physical restraint but imminent danger is is a determination. Um I think any anybody can make a determination if they feel like there's imminent danger. If I I threw a pen that's not imminent danger but if I threw something you know like this that's full that that could seriously hurt someone. So the there are procedures within the each of

069the buildings if somebody felt like they're they were in imminent danger that they could call for support. But primarily where you know students who would who may possibly act in such a way like that. We would we would most hopefully have some measures in place where we could see that the student was kind of escalating before that and then provide them an opportunity to you know deescalate before a situation came to that level. >> All right. Thank you very much. >> Okay. Um okay. I have like a couple simple edit questions and then one more substantive one on the second page in the second paragraph where it says it's crossed out in the f of public schools prone restraint is prohibited. Is it no longer prohibited to restrain someone in a prone position? >> That

070should that that's never been prohibit I mean that's never been okay. >> Yeah. So, so does it say that elsewhere that it's not allowed to prohibit someone in a prone position? >> Yeah, right above. >> Okay. >> The white line that's already >> Oh, I see. Okay. I just missed that. All right. Thank you. And then on the next page under item four in the paragraph below that, I don't know. It seems to me like there should be the word to in between afforded and publicly. When I read it, it just made no sense until I finally figured out where >> the regulations do not limit the protection afforded publicly funded students under the other state. Is there a two missing? >> Afforded two. >> Right after the paragraph number four, >> afforded to students,

071which is a weird phrase. It is. It's a weird weird sentence and I just thought maybe it would be better to have two in there. >> We can look at weird sentences. >> No, seriously, we we don't like to have weird sentences. >> Yeah. So, that one's weird. >> Yeah, it's it's confusing. So, we'll we'll take note of that. >> Okay. >> Um and then further down on the same page when it's uh maybe this was mentioned earlier, but the first notice I took of it was in the second to last bullet point there in the middle of the page when it says mechanical restraint. Is there a definition in here of what mechanical restraint is so that people reading this policy know what that means? I don't know if it's elsewhere or if I

072just didn't see it. I don't know that it's listed elsewhere. So, I'm sure we could probably add a footnote or Yeah. >> Okay. >> Yeah, a footnote. Exactly. It was very explicit about most of these forms of restraint, but that one I couldn't quite visualize what we were talking about. And then in the paragraph below that um sort of a consistency thing you had added the word physical in yellow for physical restraint. And then there are other places where maybe you want the word physical restraint. That's just restraint. And I don't know if you want to go through it and see if there are places where you would like to add the word physical to specify that you mean that cuz sometimes you're saying restraint policy or restraint this and sometimes you say physical restraint.

073And I thought it was um inconsistent to have it added one time, but maybe you meant to do that. >> So we should look for other places where physical >> like should be added, >> right? >> So sometimes you mean that and sometimes you don't. >> Okay. >> Um and then uh one last thing, when you change the word from policy to procedures, is that a new thing? And we're referring to procedures for a lot of stuff or is that like have we changed overarching how we're refering only a few um policies that are required to have procedures with them that's usually identified in not policies. >> Okay. All right. And that is it Margaret. >> Okay. Again, if you have any questions to think of later, please send an email to >> to me.

074I open my mouth, so I should put my money where my mouth is, right? >> Can I ask a future reference question? That kind of editing stuff. Do you want me to just write an email to the policy subcommittee or should I bring it up here where the whole committee can think about it? >> Um, it only takes a minute, so it's good for everybody to hear things. Okay. You know, when you get deep in the woods of weeds of things that you're working on, sometimes language gets muddled. Um, Sonia, who's great at unmuddling stuff like that, not going to be around to help us with that, but we'll cry later. Okay. All right. So, um the next is act on policies. Um could we do facilities planning first because it's just eliminating the policy

075that we don't have. >> Is that all right? >> Sure. I mean policies that no longer this um this came to our attention because of the um school building committee and it's actually outdated. it is not what so we had new regulations um in 24 and we just never picked up until we were going through this process and we realized the new regulations it actually puts this um this old policy that's been on the books out of date and it's no longer needed because it's in the it's with the regulations and the charter it actually was with the towns okay so we're asked to vote any question want to make a motion and ask questions or the other way around. >> Ask questions. >> Okay. Question. >> Yeah. Okay. Kell, any questions? >> Yep. >>

076Chris, >> I didn't ask you, do we need one that indicates for instance what MSBA is requiring of us? >> Um, it is not recommended that we need anything because we have to follow the law and it's in the charter. Okay. So, so it was recommended we do not need and uh this is actually not on mask books anymore. >> Okay. Thank you. >> Nope. >> Um All right. I understand what you're saying, but I think to to Sue's point, he shouldn't leave it facilities planning with like Ctown Charter or some point to to have some policy about how we're planning facilities. that not make or to to follow applicable laws or something like that. No, just delete the whole thing. >> That that was the recommendation. >> I don't I mean it's just it's

077not needed. Mask, you know, doesn't have it. It's um it's just a really um old policy. Mask actually uh removed it. I was looking at trying to look at the date of 2016. So we've it's just been kind of there. And the recommendation came from MASC. Is that where it came from? >> MSC is that they've removed it. I don't know how we missed it over over the time. >> And they don't have any placeholder. >> There's no place. There's nothing else for it. >> All right. >> Okay. All right. If there's no further questions, I'll take a motion. >> So moved. >> Okay. Second. >> Second. >> Okay. Um Cal, >> yes. >> 11. Yes. >> August. Yes. >> Cohen. Yes. >> Yes. >> Nevin. Yes. >> Susan. Yes. >> Maderas. Yes. Okay. So,

078the next policy is visitors to schools. So, we had this as a first um read and the um recommendation um I believe um the Katrina don't you wanted um something in from the old policy to start the the paragraph. So the policy subcommittee members um discussed it and this is what um they are recommending um to as the opening sentence. Uh there were no other changes to the policy. Uh and so we um they uh voted to bring it back to the uh school committee full school committee for a vote. Uh so the only addition that you see here that was not there when we had our first read was the school committee welcomes parents, guardians and guests to visit schools. >> Okay. Any other comments? I guess is it this side, Margaret? >> I

079don't know. I'm ready to hear all the comments. Um, I can see that it was a token to throw that in that we welcome parents and guardians to visit, but I I think the comments I made were that the first paragraph really specifies why it is to invite people in is not quite the same as to say that it'd be beneficial for you to visit the school and see how we're running things. And I um am disappointed that that whole paragraph is not in there because it's um clarifying and inviting and does not undermine the changed policy in any way. Yes, I have a comment um mainly about the um I'm go one two three four five down five paragraphs down in the yellow and it it happens again the second page but it talks

080about visitors may not record or photograph student or staff without explicit prior permission of the superintendent or their designate and my concern with that line is more so the PTO when we're doing the yearbook book stuff and I know we had talked previously that the designate would probably be the principal or whomever >> it is the principal. >> Um but I do have a concern with the vagueness of some of the comment some of the lines. um you know because everything else with the photos and stuff with the student privacy and then the no shoot list I get that I am and I'm not you but the superintendent or designate whoever that might be >> I do >> in the case of the yearbook. >> Yeah. >> I mean it's the PTO usually does that

081and that the principal would absolutely because we're putting yearbooks together. I mean that would obviously be an acceptable reason to be taking photographs. Still looking at our no photo list. >> Yes. I just I I agree and I think that it should work most of the time, but I am this just with the vagueness of who can do that because it seems like a big blanketed thing which I'm that's my concern but other than that >> I'm sorry who can do what just >> so because the language is the superintendent or their designate. So, if the PTO was doing something or if we had an event in a school where um like for instance today um I took pictures of some of the kids and I texted the parents that I know. So, if we're

082at like a Morpawn from the PTO, we have the bike guy coming. We just did the play. I gave Morspawn PTO has cameras so I just give them to teachers. They take pictures. We get them back. had to build the yearbook and they the the teachers would be on the top part but I am because they would not be a visitor but a PTO member I just without explicit prior permission it sounds to me that every person would have to get permission every time they're doing something >> I don't think that's the other time I think what a principal would be doing in the building is that there are certain activities that they allow yes and so that would so with PTO you know at a meeting you determine through the year I'm going to

083be doing this this and this and yes you have permission to do that I get that okay >> I understand that part it's just more the vagueness of >> do you know what I'm saying it doesn't say like the PTO can do this or school council and the explicit prior permission that doesn't say how the permission is getting sent over >> does that make sense because it says explicit prior permission is that written and like the last one that Sandy just did shout out to Sandy it says or within 24 hours orally. >> Yeah, there we go. >> And then within three. So that is my the vagueness of it is my concern. >> We probably have a policy about picture taken and recording that addresses that this main thrust of this policy is visitors.

084Um I we you can um >> you can add a request that we look at our um we have a recording and photographing policy. Yeah. >> So we could look at that, but that's separate. >> That's separate cuz that that's photographing and photography from the school a school staff member and that kind of stuff. So there's two different things. And again, if everything works well, I agree with Dr. Door. it should not be an issue but just because of the way it's written and the vagueness and it doesn't have points that's my concern and that's all I have to >> okay >> so I will say the policy is typically written >> so that the the practices >> can move I know >> I don't like that so much >> okay okay I had the

085same problem before that I said it's too vague >> the other side of that coin is if sometimes you're too specific and you forget get something that can get you into a lot of troubles too. So that's why policy is always is never up to date. You always you're weighing which is you know which is the best way to handle things and um laws change and things change. So you come along and you have to make changes in it. >> Yep. >> I have a clarifying question. Most of this came from Desi. >> It's no it's mask. So >> mask I was getting ready to just say the same thing. So everything in yellow, red with yellow is mass pop. >> I know you had said that before. >> Yeah. >> All right. >> Okay.

086All right. So Margaret, >> no, I was going to say, you know, my concern would be that if you stuck with specifics, >> you know, then in fact that limits other kinds of options, >> you know. So how would you change it? If I could ask if I could >> if if I real quickly I will like the last policy we looked at at some point in time it said the superintendent or their design. Here we go. Superintendent or design will develop procedures including but not limited to and then it kind of has a so it still gives you the option to change stuff but it gives you you know what I'm saying like a baseline type thing. So I'm saying it doesn't have to be all inclusive but you could write it. So there

087are some points is they you know you have to do this this or this or or like in my my concern like PTO school councils would have that beginning of the year signed or something like that. You know >> I I guess my I'm wondering though once you begin to enumerate people then do might you then limit other people out? >> No because then you add in something like not not limited to but these groups would have access beginning or something like that. I just that that's my the vagueness and then in a perfect world it would work but without like having some points there. >> Katrina, did you say what you wanted to already? I did and I unfortunately I'm going to have to vote against approving it and I would not want to

088but I am so sad that we're not having all this first paragraph about cooperation with the community and understanding and um beneficial promotion of greater school home cooperation. It's just I just don't think it's enough to say a school committee welcomes you to visit. >> But that's my opinion. Another thing that policy does where we can is we try to be turfs because >> there's enough stuff in policies um so sometimes if it's flowery I mean maybe that I don't mean that as a negative um description of what you said. I mean, this policy, I guess the reason I care so much about that is because the policy overall is kind of stark and prohibitive sounding and um you know, it's about the limitations and the authorization and it's a little um draconian in its

089tone. And so to have a welcoming first paragraph be like we do want you to come and it's important that you understand the school and that you get a chance to see what your students are involved in so you can cooperate with the school better and it's a beneficial thing and promotes cooperation. and then say all of your strict rules. It lines it up so people don't immediately assume that you don't, you know, that's just my opinion. >> Okay. >> All right, Sue. I'm just wondering if that language would be more appropriate within the school handbooks and then referencing the policy. >> Could be cuz that's more like Oh, sorry. >> That's more likely going to get read. I mean, in all likelihood, people are not going to say, "Am I allowed to go to

090the building?" And they're going to look up the policy. They're going to look at the handle. >> Yeah. >> Did you have something Chris? >> Oh, I thought we were just >> Sorry. I dropped it. >> So, so first I just wanted to acknowledge um how valuable it is to get public comment about things that are concerning to parents because for me at least it makes me really pull in on on what the concerns are versus, you know, what what's being discussed. And um it really made me focus on the language of this policy. And it's it's really just um empowering the superintendent to develop procedures and the policies governed by procedures developed by the superintendent, which is her her responsibility to do. So, so it's not that um some people had said, "Oh, we're

091going to have to ask the superintendent every time we want to go into a building." Well, that's not what this policy says. And so, um, I appreciate the the concerns because, like I said, it allowed us to really focus, but this is is completely, um, what a superintendent should do, which is develop a procedure. So, um, so I think this is very good language. >> Okay. >> All right. No other comments. Okay. So, we'll take Is there a motion? I'll make a motion that we approve uh policy pay. I'll >> second. >> Okay. I forget where we're starting. Is it in the >> Yes. >> Okay. >> No. >> Hey, I'm upstairs. >> Co. Yes. SG. >> Yes. >> Moving. Yes. >> Well, yes. Maduras. Yes. Okay. So, Terry, can we also ask that Sue's

092suggestion come back to policy for the handbook because I think that's a really great idea. Sure. >> I think those important >> would you please add that into the handbook >> or at least have it reviewed for consideration on the handbook might not work. >> Yeah, >> it does send to >> Okay. Um, next on the agenda is to act on Mors statement of interest submission to MSBA. Paul, did you want to just say something about that? >> Sure. As you aware and why that we originally submitted for school uh renovation application. Uh we did mention that uh under consideration was the closure of the MOS pawn school and moving through uh grinding grades at three page into Florence. Um and then in October 28th, the school committee voted to in fact do that to

093close more pawn school once the Lawrence renovation uh has been uh completed. We now have to as part of the MSBA process submit an SOI for the most upon closure. um needs to be able to file just for a closure statement once you go through the process and uh but this essentially takes that next step and puts them uh notifies them that MOS pollen will be closed uh once the Lawrence recommendation is done. >> I just want to add so we have it on our agenda tonight the select board has been on our agenda for um April 6th. So on this one the chair minister for tenant signs and uh the select board chair and the town manager signs. So it's the same exact same statement. Um but that is on their schedule or their

094agenda as well on April 6. >> And this on that if this is the statement that would is required to be voted on and and submitted for the SI. >> So questions. Thanks. So, I'm just wondering after this happens and after the support piece, I mean the statement of interest in implies if there's like something else coming. Is there going to are they going to like review it? And I like is there any next steps? This is just the compliance. >> Okay. All right. I was just curious if we had to do something else. >> Chris no >> no. Okay. Nor I All right. So, um I guess we take a vote. >> So, moved. >> Second. >> Okay. Roll call. Uh Margaret. >> Yes. >> Lumpy. Yes. >> Love. Yes. >> Yes. >> Okay.

095Um next would be to act on school choice seats. >> So, second Melissa would approve. Is there are there any questions or >> No. Okay. Start in the middle. Glenda. >> Oh. Um, not right now. >> Margaret, wait. Are you doing questions? No, we're voting. >> Oh, I thought this is >> I was with you. I was with you. those questions too. That's >> okay. >> You did say are there any questions? People said no. So then I thought we were you said later. >> Right. I heard that there were no more questions. >> No questioning. >> Okay. No. No. Okay. >> Co. Yes. >> Unless >> the dearest yes. Okay. It's your fault. You elected me. So this >> All right. Um the next item on the agenda is to act on um the

096evaluation subcommittee recommendations. Um I think that we should get a motion to make this act on be the same as we do on policies and anything. We don't use the word recommendation in in conjunction with act on. So um >> you mean on the agenda? >> Excuse me. >> Do you mean in the agenda? What did I say? >> No, I just wanted to make sure I Yeah, you said that. >> Yeah. Did I say that incorrectly? >> Okay. Do you want me to reiterate what I said? Okay. So, um when the motion is made um to act on this, could it please just be act on um change uh changes superintendent's goal number four? Okay. That reflects that reflects what we do usually do for act on from subcommittees. We don't usually use the

097word we've never used recommendation. >> I'll make the motion to remove the word recommendations from the agenda. Second. >> Okay. So, is there any discussion on that? >> Okay. So, we need a vote. Cal. Yes. >> Loving. Yes. >> Augusta. Yes. >> Yes. >> Maduras. Yes. Okay. So, would you repeat what the motion is just to be clear? Uh the motion was to remove the word recommendations from the agenda item act on evaluation subcommittee recommendations. So it now reads act on evaluation subcommittee >> I guess right >> is that right? >> Well it would be the each piece right >> the evaluation subcommittee changes to the goal four the evaluation sent to Margaret and presentation on the six. So it's all that all three words. >> Okay. All right. So um is there any discussion

098on this? >> Should we do you want to start? >> Okay. Um we start Margaret I think it's your >> okay >> the presentation I think you all have the five slides >> put it up it's on the on the board. We all have hard copies too. super superintendency evaluation. So the first slide, next slide is um the quality assessment evaluation which was done which was done. So then we're going to move to this summitative evaluation and we're going to be hearing self assessment and I believe the date is included in the packet. Okay. So we met um the virus subcommittee met after the mid cycle formative assessment after the committee members met with the super the main outcome was the school committee um level decisions were not completed in time for the superintendent to

099finish goal four as originally written. So goal four is still important but should would not work um and work should be continued. So go four can be translated into a two-year goal. Okay. Uh the new benchmarks. Um key action. We oversee the process for the key. Okay. To oversee the process for the large school renovation. Develop a plan for expanding prek without an early child or with an early um early learning early learning center. Communication status and plans is to stakeholders. Okay. After 2627 the key action steps oversee process for large school renovation pending decision is large school grade configuration development two year two to four year process plan uh for determining changes to the war school and either uh the high school or the elementary school decision for an early childhood center learning center

100develop a process for moving attendance boundary lines across the elementary goals, communication status, and plans to stakeholders. This change would require a vote for the from the from the committee. So, would I do I hear a motion? >> Discussion. >> Um, let's do we've been discussing things before motions during this meeting. So, >> discussion. >> I don't think so. I think so. The we I don't think we've Have we done a two-year goal before? I think that's whatever. >> Oh, we have. >> We have. Oh yeah, we did the equity. >> Equity goal was actually three years. >> So this just breaks out which pieces are part of this year and then which pieces will be held over until next year. That okay. >> No, I don't. >> No questions, no comments. >> Um well,

101unfortunately there's only five minutes to or Oh, that's expanded to it. Yeah, five minutes. Um, so I think there's two things uh at play here. There's the validity of of changing this, but then there's also the process. Um and at the subcommittee meeting um I was participative in the conversation about goal four but um this process is supposed to be collaborative and um there was also the discussion of perhaps tweaking you know very very um minorly modifying goals one and three. Goal one is student achievement data um which is being discussed with principles and the request was to have that also shared with the school committee and goal three which is uh communicating with staff and sending out surveys and um that kind of thing. also to the request was to have that um shared

102with the school committee and um there was there was not interest in in modifying those goals. So, um I'm I'm finding myself torn because I do feel like it should be collaborative and um a negotiation and um if we're going to be modifying significantly modifying one goal, I think that there should be openness in um slightly modifying two of the other goals. So, that's that's my concern. Um that's a process concern. What? >> Um, well, okay. Are we on the whole thing or just this first part? So, I have a question for the second part, which >> the evaluation process timeline, but I'll wait. I'll wait. Um, yeah. Um, so all we're doing here is taking goal four and changing it for next year. because we can't give a proper score because the renovation hasn't

103happened. I feel like is the thing. Um >> I don't think it's the renovation though. I think it's that >> I'm not on evaluation. >> Decisions have not made >> decisions have not that should be explained by the committee. >> Yeah. >> Okay. So then the only difference is you took the developer plan for expanding preK without a learning center >> to and then it looks like you added pending decision for an early center developer process. >> All right. So then the process for moving attendance lines is dependent on the early learning center looks like. >> Can I speak? >> Sure. >> Yeah. >> Go ahead. just so um the the pending decision with the Lawrence and the pending decision with the early learning center was in this year's goal. >> Okay, >> that wasn't

104possible for me to do anything with that because there's no decision. >> Those are the two that we brought down. >> Uh the communicate status is in both and the overseeing the Lawrence renovation is in both because they're they're both ongoing. Yes. So I could speak to, you know, from September to March of this year, but because it's an ongoing process, I could also keep it in for next year. >> So those two are holdovers. >> Yes. >> Okay. Thank you very much. >> Okay. >> Um uh one quick question. In the Well, I have another one as well, but um in the agenda, it says the evaluation should be sent to Margaret Soua. And in this presentation, oh, sorry, my In this presentation, it says it should be sent to Chris. >> Okay, can

105we put that aside? That's another part of it. >> Put it aside. Okay. So, the main um issue that I have here is that pending decision for an early learning center develop a process for moving attendance boundary lines across the elementary schools. So in my interpretation of that, while we are waiting for a decision about the prek center, we should be developing a process for moving attendance boundary lines. We had a meeting in November on that topic. Um people expressed interest in moving attendance boundary lines, but there was a lot of contentious conversation about the prek center. Nothing happened. And then in January when I met with the superintendent, I was told that nothing had happened and that the vendor had not been contacted and no motion had happened on that action step, which was

106a surprise to me. And I suggested at that time that perhaps part of that action step could be accomplished if you start the process of developing, which would be reach out to vendors, give us an update about who those vendors could be. you could start the process um and the superintendent chose not to move on that >> which is your prerogative but I um hold on one second I don't I don't feel that the school committee is responsible for that action step not being accomplished because it was the superintendent's goal and between November and now no progress has been made but it doesn't feel like if it's if it's our goal and we didn't do anything that's on us but if you didn't put it on the agenda. Um, and I I expressed that in

107our meeting, so I hope that's not a surprise. >> No, it's just um moving uh boundary lines is not a superintendent decision. It is a school committee decision. Um I would not be reaching out to vendors unless I got the direction from the school committee that you're even interested in looking at that. So, I got no indication from this committee that you're interested in um looking at the attendance lines or at least not right now. So, that is why I did not move um on searching for a vendor. >> Okay. >> Or it does not make sense to even to search or hire someone if I don't know if it's even a desire of the school committee. >> I'm going to push back on that. And the reason is that during that meeting in November,

108Sue Augusta said, "I wish this could happen sooner than 2 years." If that's not an affirmation that you would like to move attendance boundless. Now, the other point I will make before I stop being pushy on you is the making of the agenda is something that the chair and the superintendent do together. And I have never in my time on this committee encountered a time where the superintendent didn't feel empowered to work with the chair to put something on the agenda. And so if it didn't come from the chair, but it's not her goal, it's your goal, and it didn't come from you. Um I I don't feel that it is the school committee's fault that that action step benchmark has not moved. Um and I am not comfortable changing that one because there was

109time for it to move. Um, and suggestions were made by myself at least, and I don't know about anyone else, but there was an option and an opportunity for it to end up on an agenda before the time ran out. >> With with all due respect to you, Susan, I um you you may have said that, but again, I don't take direction from one school committee member. I take direction from the school as a school committee as a whole. And that statement says pending decision. So the second half is dependent on the first half before the comma and it says pending and there's been no decision on the early learning center. Okay. All right. Can is there an option? I'm sorry. One um suggestion that we could have here is since we are suggesting ways

110to amend this goal, can we separate the early learning center from the attendance boundary lines? Because the crisis of small sections in elementary schools is not something that should wait for the prek decision in my opinion. And we have heard over and over again that there is a crisis of too few sections and moving forward that process of attendance boundary lines should not be waiting for this longer process of the prek. Um it's it's not a positive outcome for our students to be waiting for us to go through this lengthy discussion on the prek center when we can begin the process of moving attendance boundary lines. I think I said in September that I didn't feel just in a meeting with the superintendent. I did not feel that those two should be tied together and

111I still don't feel that they should. So if we are changing these and making it into a goal for next year, I would like to make a motion that um the developing a process for moving attendance boundary lines is separated from the prek center because I don't think it's fair to the students to have them waiting for us to make a decision on something that has nothing to do with the attendance boundary lines. Margaret, did you make any comments yet? >> Oh, I have lots of comments. Um, well, I think there was a misunderstanding. I I I attended the first meeting the information about um number one the the process for evaluation the goals that the superintendent did we agreed to at a meeting. Now at that first meeting there was some contention about you

112know should we share them? Should she do this? Should we tell her to do that? Um and the second meeting actually was quite pleasant and and helpful. Uh I do not recall any of the information that that was said um at our at the meeting when we um heard about the formative assessment evaluation. There was some misunderstanding about what the formative um assessment evaluation was, but you know that was by what happened at that meeting. So I'm addressing that first. The second thing is that I believe it is a I don't believe I mean I guess someone could take time to find v convent um vendors to do something but if the school committee has not authorized that and I don't think in my opinion it's not just related to an early childhood it's related

113to other all the other decisions that the school committee is going to make. So before we before we can just sort of talk about uh boundary lines, we have to find out what's going to happen to grade five. Is it going to go back to the elementary school or is it going to go to middle school? If that decision is not made, then I think the boundary lines change and then the other piece of it would be an early childhood center during that happens. So I think it's the committee's responsibility to make those decisions before the superintendent can do that. Now that's my understanding of it. What the piece was that she certainly could not um do some things that we have not made decisions on and that's why there's a change to Okay. So

114my comments were I remember when we were talking about timelines and things in the beginning of the year um a school committee member said um you tell us what you want to do and we'll vote on it. Um so we had Lori said I um want to do this or want to do that, we would have voted on it but we didn't hear that. So um that's one thing that bothers me that the decision does initiate with us. Um and the other thing is changing this thing so close to when we're supposed to be finishing it is really um makes me feel very uneasy. A month before I was supposed to be compiling everything all of a sudden we got to change one of the goals. Um that just bothers me that it's coming down

115at this um point in time. Can I just The only the only piece of the goal we're changing is that we're saying that it's a two-year goal. It's not a one-year goal. That's all we're changing. We're not changing any other goals. We're not doing other any other thing. The the request is >> that since we have not made decisions that we change that we can't hold her accountable at least. I mean, maybe we can hold her accountable, but it doesn't seem fair to hold her accountable for something that we did not make a decision on and she can't move forward on. >> Okay. Um, I think we have to go around again. Where did I start with Kelly? Kelly, you have another any comments or >> um Yeah, I think so. Yeah. So I mean

116in my memory at from the start of the year we had said that we were going to sort of take the same approach that Billy needs took and take one topic at a time. um which is why we started with Morris Pond and then the next thing that you know in our structure that we were going to take up was great configuration and then when we decided that then we would move on to prek which would involve a learning center or not and that we we agreed that we were going to sort of take them in that order and regardless of agendas or not you know we went round and round at a number of meetings without making these decisions. So, I don't I agree with Margaret. I mean, we can keep the goals the

117same, but it's a little bit ridiculous to be holding the superintendent accountable for things that she absolutely could not start because we didn't finish our job. >> And I don't think I don't I actually don't even understand why this is such a controversial conversation. We've moved slower than we thought we were going to when we set this path at the start of the year and it just happens that the formative is falling, you know, so close to when these, you know, this change needs to happen for the end of the year. But it doesn't really seem I maybe I just don't see it. It's not it doesn't seem to be that big of a deal. we chose to move slowly and thoughtfully and now we're in this spot where we need to tweak. I I

118don't really get the issue. Um okay, that's your opinion, Chris. Um so yeah so so being on the evaluation subcommittee so it sounds like kind of two two things in terms of what we're discussing where one of them is kind of the change to the goals based on the committee not making a decision and then also kind of what else was discussed there which I think I might have missed some because I was I was a little late in getting to but in terms of kind of tweaking some of the other goals. And so, you know, kind of responding to the first part, you know, since since the school committee, so with relation to um the early learning center and the prek since the the committee, I mean, for me, that one seems a little

119more black and white where we did not make a decision um by a given date where the superintendent could act on that. So, so where we have to modify goal 4 based on that decision. Now, it sounds like this is a topic that the committee will have to take up in terms of discussing moving boundary lines um and whether or not that is related to the early learning center or not. But, you know, essentially kind of mimicking what what other members have said in terms of, you know, we have to act as a body and so what we decide as a body is what the superintendent can act on. Um, in terms of us voting on on something that she can take action on. Um, and it sounds like it's up to the committee if

120that is something that the committee wants, then that's something that we will need to take a vote on at some point, whether it's near or far future. so that she can act on it. Um, and kind of related to to Glenda's, um, you know, I I I can understand wanting to kind of tweak tweak that based on what we were talking about. And I and I guess for me that seems because it is very close to kind of the the final evaluation, it it does make me nervous kind of mimicking what Terry said, it makes me a little nervous to to tweak it at this point. even even though it might be something that is beneficial. Um more so to to to kind of foster um a feeling of collaboration kind of among the full

121committee where this might be something that's worth a much more in-depth conversation at the very beginning or during a retreat in the summertime to talk about kind of the full evaluation process. So, you know, I agree with Glend where I think her points are valid and and I I support them in in terms of kind of the timing. I feel like that would be something that would be better discussed either by the committee as a whole um prior to even getting to that initial presentation regarding the evaluation subcommittee um or evaluation process. Um, so you know, for me right now, I think it it's just a vote to kind of based on based on one of the goals being being um based on one of our decisions that was not made. That's what was tweaked

122here. But then I think you know some of the other points in terms of tweaking the evaluation process and looking at boundary lines related to the early learning center that might be something that that should be more in depth discussed either during a retreat in the summertime or you know at some other discretion of the school committee. >> I don't usually go out of order but since you mentioned me >> and could I put a different slant on it? I'm going to repeat, making a change like this so close to when we're doing it does not sit well with me. Um, and I would look at and I and I am I know I heard we will do what you put forth for us. So, I would say that Lor's decision not to put that

123forth was a good one. I see it as not as a negative thing to comment on. Um it wasn't the timing and um there was other things. Um the MSBA was quite a procedure. So, I would kind of feel more comfortable saying the first part of it, the MSBA part, I think, you know, it was done and met and everything and I would say the rest was put aside at her um she made a good choice to not bring it up. So, I would look at it where we're at the end of it. That would be how I would think about looking at it. So, that's just a different slant on the separations. Okay. So, I went out of order, but it was a different slant. So, >> I and I don't know if they

124came off as being negative. I wasn't trying to I don't know how I wasn't that bad. >> It was not meant to be that way. >> Yeah. I just think it's cleaner and neater to do it the way I >> described. I would like to see, but that's me. Okay. So, I guess back to the order of comments. Okay. I agree completely with Kelly and in regards to anything that I any comment I may have made in the comm at a school committee meeting. It was my personal opinion. If I wanted action taken, I would have made a motion. Um and we would have discussed it at that point, but I was expressing my personal opinion. Um just just to um clarify what my point was about process. Um it wasn't that I wanted the

125other goals at this point to be um tweaked. It was the um point of um give and take and a collaborative process and um so you know we all have to be open to collaboration but it's it has to be a two-way street. I guess what I'm struggling with now I want to talk about the substance um is that in November we got the navigating the future elementary um version and it says next steps and one was hire a consultant. The next one was assess and revise boundary lines for three elementary schools. Present recommendations to the school committee. Host community forums to share recommendations and gather feedback. Present final recommendations to the school committee for approval. So I don't um see that any of the you know the last one present final recommendations to the

126school committee that that is not something in our control all of those are not in our control and that was was stipulated as next steps. So, I guess I'm I'm grappling with these were assumptions for next steps and yet we're they haven't been done. So, I'm finding this this confusing um and um it puts us in a real bind as as Chair Maderos has said that um that it's a month before the evaluation and this is what we're confronted with. Has this, and I haven't been on the committee long enough to know this, but has this ever happened before similar to this, Terry? >> No, not that I can remember. >> We've never had contingent. >> Point of order. Um, we have our chair and he should defer to our chair. >> All right. I

127have a second question. Chairs. Um, a lot of these decisions are based on the grade configuration. So, at what point in time are we going to vote on that? We've got enough community input, it seems like. >> Well, that's another question that's beside what we're discussing right now, Mike. So, >> I understand, but it kind of does tie in because the decision if if the committee has to make a decision on the the grade configuration in order for next steps to happen. I have asked it to be on the agenda previously and it hasn't been yet. So once that decision gets made, I think then that takes away any of our role in action which was my concern. That's all I have. >> Um I started to make a motion. Um and I will just

128explain before I do that once more why I would make this motion. Um we we should have put this on the agenda. So maybe it's a shared burden with the superintendent. Um, since I found out that it was there's been no action on it at the end of January, I have tried three or four times during our meetings to in followup have us have on the agenda a discussion of moving attendance boundary lines. And this committee took no action on that. And also the superintendent knowing that that was a discussion that maybe we should have also took no action to put it on the agenda. Um, we are here for the students. That is the primary purpose of a school committee member. Um, delaying moving attendance lines is a disservice to the students in our

129district. We have students right now at East Falmouth that we have heard repeatedly do not have enough sections of grades. moving attendance lines is the quickest, possibly painful, but quickest and most effective way to redistribute students and fix that problem. That should not be coupled with the prek early learning center. And I think part of the reason that the superintendent did not get a clear indication of how we felt about moving attendance boundary lines in November is because that conversation happened in tandem with the one about the prek, which was more contentious. That conversation about the prek is ongoing and it's going to be a long conversation and I don't think I will say it again that we would be doing a service to the students in the district if we make them wait for

130us to make a decision about the prek before we make a decision about moving attendance boundary lines. So I am trying to make a motion here that we decouple those two things in this goal whether or not we're moving the goal into next year. I can see here looking at this before I make my motion that we have not made a decision on grade configuration. We've talked about it at length. That's ongoing. That's on us. That makes sense to me. Maybe we should move that into next year. Um the one on the attendance boundary lines does not make sense to be paired with the pre. So the motion that I am going to make is to remove the words pending decision for an early learning center from this benchmark action step so that it would

131read develop a process for moving attendance boundary lines across the elementary schools. And my argument for that motion is that that attendance boundary lines is related more to the grade configuration than it is to the prek and it should be a standalone. So my motion again is to remove the words pending decision for an early learning center and you could choose to put them somewhere else if you want that to still be an action benchmark and just have it read develop a process for moving attendance boundary lines across the elementary schools. >> I'll second for discussion. >> Okay. So you're seconding it. >> Yep. >> Okay. So discussion I don't know which side to start on. I think we've been starting over there Margaret discussion. >> Well, you know, I I am going to vote

132against it simply because we cannot you cannot develop and it's not for me it's not related to preschool. For me, it's related to great configuration and rooms and the reality of what we're doing with with schools. So you know um I'm totally against it and I for that reason it's not yes the prek would be part of it but most of all we have to talk about you know great configuration and and once we do that then we can move forward and it's the same thing with navigating the future. There are lots of things that were supposed to happen, but if you've gone to any of those meetings with with the community, often the whole the whole presentation was not ever completed almost because there was so much input from the community. I'll use that

133word. >> I'm just going to reiterate that my motion would decouple it from the prek. >> I have no problem with that. So >> problem is is another piece to it. >> So but having the moving attendance boundary lines as its own action step goal rather than making that wait for us to decide about the prek. >> Can I can I just say though we can't we cannot put that in to evaluate her on something that has not been authorized by the school committee. >> What? >> For her evaluation this year? >> No, this is for next year. This would be if if we are pushing this into next year's goal. Let me make that clear. I'm sorry. >> Oh, I didn't get >> I'm sorry. No, sorry. If we are following this recommendation or

134it's not a recommendation, if we are following this idea of pushing this into next year because I understand that we as a committee did not make a decision about grade configuration. It's impossible for her to meet that goal. And I don't feel that goals in future should be tied to decisions that are reliant on the timeline of the school committee. We did that last year. We did it this year. Let's not do that anymore because it pushes the school committee into an unnecessary timeline of decision-m in order to meet the superintendent's goals. They shouldn't be tied together. I felt that last year. I feel it very strongly this year. Please don't do that again. What I'm saying is if we are agreeing that indeed we have to push some of these goals into next year.

135Can we please for next year's goal not have the process of moving attendance boundary lines be relying on this longer process of the prek? Please, for the sake of the students, can we get a move on with the attendance boundary lines and make it clear in the goal that that's its own thing for next year and we can start on it ASAP and be done with it before next year and then she's already achieved her goal. Does that make it clear? >> Yeah. Okay. >> Yeah. I I was confused about this myself. Um because when you're you're relying on the decision the early learning center whether it be a yay or a nay then that does delay stuff. But my other thing was getting boundary lines attendance boundary lines done for both avenues would be

136more beneficial to make decisions where then you'd be able to see how it would work with a prek without a prek neighborhood preks whatever it might be. So that is why I would agree with separating those two things. >> I I I just uh remain confused about the time the where are we with this? We have not discussed it on our agendas. So to say that we haven't moved um when people have asked that that this these topics be on the agenda, they haven't been on the agenda. I don't think that that's um fair to blame the school committee for um inaction. I think that some of these steps could have been taken. We could have we should have had something for navigating the future on the agenda every week. Every week. And to hear

137that these this was a problem at the end of February. Well, we should have heard oh well I can't meet my goals um in the beginning at every school committee meeting December that you know we have to move on this four. we have to go. But to hear it at the end of February and now we're a month out, I think it it just puts us in a really um difficult position right now. It's very unfortunate. >> I'm sorry. Are we still talking about my motion? Because I did make a motion. It's been seconded. So, we're discussing the motion to >> Oh, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to get on a tangent. >> Um Yeah. Okay. So, since we're discussing benchmarks for 26 and 27 with key action steps, I do have no problem with

138develop process from owning attendance boundary lines across the elementary schools. Um, but my main um attention is to the fact that this is for 26 and 27. Um yeah, I guess I guess my question is is this something that the committee will revote on again at the beginning of next year regarding I mean I guess it's something where since I've never been part of a process that was multi-year whatever's voted on here is it something that would need to be brought back as a vote next year when establishing kind of new goals for 26 27. So, so even if we vote on it here, whatever the process is or whatever the vote is, I'm assuming there's going to be a second kind of revisit of this that the committee will vote on. Um I mean

139that that's my only question. I would Yeah. >> Yes. Um so um I I don't support um the amendment of of separating the two issues in for a couple reasons. one, I can think of, you know, so much more, many, many other priority items that we could be spending money on rather than spending money to have someone draw temporary lines that we then need to redraw. um because if we if we shuffle the attendance lines now to solve the problem that um Katrina had mentioned the low sections which I do agree is a huge issue that will solve one problem but then if in you know once we have worked our way through grade configuration and onto the next topic um that the school committee has agreed to take up we might come to the

140decision to create an early learning center in which case we would have to shuffle the lines all over again. So, not only is that a terrible waste of money, but it will throw families upside down and sideways to have them one year tell them that they're going to go to this school and then the next year tell them they're going to go to a different school. I I cannot live with that. Um it would just the amount of turmoil it would create for our families is just unacceptable to me. Um, so I I can appreciate the desire to solve the problem more immediately, but I think, you know, we at the start of the year, we set out that we were going to take these things in order and we just haven't gotten there. I

141don't I don't think it's anyone's fault. I think that we have just tried to be really methodical and thoughtful and that means slow and so I don't want to rush the one solution which would solve the problem of the low sections only to have to turn it upside down um potentially in the future. >> Okay. >> Um and it's because it's my goals. I feel like you guys are voting. >> You want to say something? >> Yes. >> Oh, of course. I >> I just >> No, I didn't. I couldn't hear what you were saying. >> I'm sorry. Can I just command May I speak for a second? And I normally don't do this because this is a school committee um decision, but the goals are supposed to be developed collaboratively. >> I'm okay if

142you decide as a school committee whatever you want to do, but I'm asking you not without our collaboration in developing the goals for next year. So perhaps the answer is just agree or disagree on the 25 26 goals or or leave them the way they are but not move into the 26 27 goals at all. And I'm just asking you to do that because that's usually a collaborative process about what my goals I would not feel comfortable um separating those those two goals. So, I I would not be able to agree that that would be a a goal of mine. It can be a goal of the school committee. That's that's up to you. But it it couldn't be a goal um for exactly what Kelly explained. They're together for a reason. I do feel

143for our families that we would be moving attendance lines and then deciding on an early learning center and then doing that process again. And it's um so I would never want those two to be separate as a goal of mine. I just have to put that out there. Um so if if just want to vote on the 25 26, don't vote at all. It's fine because it still says pending the decisions and the decisions weren't made. So I I couldn't move on to the step, you know, pending decision on early learning center. I couldn't move on to the next step until that step was done. That was a whole reason it was written that way. So I I either way I just please do not decouple to use um Katrina's word and then say it's

144my goal. Please please don't do that. So can a little step back and rehash what we're doing here. Um somehow I thought we were going to vote on um separating them. I didn't think we were going to get into what they were for next year. Did I miss something? >> Yeah. Yeah. And in fact, you know, when I'm when I sat at the committee, I thought it's sort of interesting that we're talking about it extending for next year because again, superintendent and the committee, wherever that committee is, decides on the goals, but what we're really talking about is that. Can I just say a couple of things though? Number one, um I I'm not blaming the committee for anything. Okay. Um I also want to remind the committee that actually when we first brought up

145the goals, it was mentioned that she hadn't mentioned anything about navigating the future and the goals. And so that was added because that was a that was what the committee sort of talked about. And so if we're going to talk about um her having to do this and and believe me, Susan's saying she'd like it to happen fast, I don't see as as a direction. You are the one who Katrina has given direction all the time. We want to talk about that. And I think Kelly's response and my response about what are we going to do with all the other things? You can't do lines until you know new things. Um, so what we really have to do is say, can we change this this year? That's all we're voting on. That's all we need

146to do. >> That's what I thought. That's why I took this. >> I'm sorry. I But I want And I'm not playing the committee, you know, but I wanted to remember that we we are the ones that said navigating the future should be our goals. >> All right. If people are uncomfortable with the motion I made, then I will withdraw the motion. And I have something else to say. Do you want me to withdraw the motion? >> And once the motion's there, don't you have to vote on >> No, she can withdraw. >> You can withdraw it. Okay. >> Okay. So, >> that's fine. Can I make a follow-up comment? >> Sure. Now, having done that, um the the other issue with that, the two being tied together is that not only was the attendance

147boundary line conversation dropped after November, the early learning center conversation was dropped. And in my January meeting with the superintendent, I also learned that she did not intend to push that forward. and not having had to sort of to Glenda's point, not having had any update between November to the end of January about where we were with that and I was just waiting for it to appear on an agenda. We had been on a steady march. Things had been coming to us. We've been making decisions. There was a lot of progress and then it all just stopped except for the grade configuration and and that as a committee member, I had no understanding of why that was happening and I was just waiting for it to come up. And then those two things being revealed

148to me in January that we're not making any progress on this and there's no plan to move on that was a huge surprise. And if I had any inkling that that's what was happening and that's where we were, I would have been making motions at the end of our meetings in December and January. So as an individual committee member, I don't feel that the committee dropped the ball on that action step. And I do feel like the grade configuration is something we've talked about a lot. We've had a lengthy process. We've had staff members come in and speak to us. That has been ongoing and we're still working through that. So that's that is on us. I feel that it's still ongoing and that goal is not met. But the other one total mysterious disappearance

149of that action step and then to find out so late in the game and to have no momentum or impetus from anyone other than myself to put it back on the agenda is frustrating and I don't I personally will not take um responsibility for that one. >> Okay. Um so you know I guess throughout the year I have been coming back to the path that we set out at the start of the year when we all agreed that we were going to take up one thing at a time so that we weren't constantly in the throws of talking about seven things that were all interconnected. So in my mind, we weren't going to move on to attendance boundary lines or preschool until we solved grade configuration that we had agreed as a group we were

150going to take first Morse pond then grade configuration then the early learning center and that was the flow. So I wasn't anxious. I can see how you'd be really frustrated because if I was waiting for the things to be happening simultaneously, I would have been frustrated too. I was just working on the assumption that we were going to take one and then the next and then the next. So that's I don't know if that's helpful, but we agreed that that's the process we're going to follow. So that's just sort of where I've been assuming we were going to go. Okay. So, um, back to voting on the >> We haven't had a motion. I asked >> I know. I'm I'm trying to get >> I'm trying to get how to praise this. >> I guess

151the step now would be to vote on um separating the two sets of benchmarks. Correct. So we need a motion to >> So I'll make a motion that we accept the new key action steps for 2526 and then leave it at that as Chris mentioned and let the second part kick over to next year when they have to do it when evaluation has to do with that. >> Second. >> Okay. Do we need to discuss this anymore or >> I have clarification question. Do we know can we see side by side what's the difference in in the current 2526 action steps in this list of three >> the only two uh pieces that were um that were also in the 2526 was the pending um >> okay >> decision and the pend pending decision >>

152those two >> okay so I guess are we ready to vote Danny >> I'm sorry Just to clarify, so we're v are we voting to both accept the proposed 2526 modifications and and to extend them into the next year for these? >> No. >> What are what are we voting on then? I I was saying that we would vote to accept the 25 26 key action steps and then just kick the rest of it to next year for them to solve when they set the goals for next year. >> So actually all we're voting on is the 25 26 key action steps. >> That's I that's just I was trying to solve the problem. >> Is that is your if that's not acceptable to people, I'm happy to shift. I was just trying to solve

153for the comments about not weighing in on next year's school. >> Okay. I'm afraid to do this, but let's vote. So, I don't know where to start. Um, let's just start random. >> Yes. >> Okay, Mike. >> Um, >> well, this is going to drive Sharon too much, but we're going to go around. I mean, we're just actually thinking of you, Sharon. >> Oh, it's my vote. I'm sorry. Uh, >> I I don't Hein, no. I don't see the difference, but no. >> Okay, Katrina. Um, I would prefer to have the decision on attendance boundary lines in the ones for this year because also we were we should we she was waiting for us to tell her that we wanted that and that implies to me that that was not a process that had been

154put off until later on purpose. So, um, to Kelly's point, I'm sorry, I'm trying to clarify why I'm voting no. Is that right? to Kelly's point that um we were following the process. I may not have realized that but at the same time there was a waiting on the behalf of the superintendent for us to indicate that we wanted to continue that which implies to me that that could have happened simultaneously and so I feel it should still be it should not be um pushed off onto next year. A no. >> Mark. Yes. >> A big yes. >> That's a yes. >> No. >> The dearest no. And I'm saying no because um I just think it's illtimed and um I like I said, I'm I'm going to answer um handle the things that didn't

155get done um in a different matter. And if you don't like it, well, I >> I can't translate it. >> Oh, that's my watch. That's my watch, which I've never looked at and heard me talk about. No, I'm voting no. Sorry. >> I'm voting no. >> So, I don't know what the county that No, that move that means that the motion has fa has failed. And that means that people are going to be evaluating the superintendent on things that she was not authorized to do. >> Wait, no. How many voted? Yes. It's a tie. It fails. >> Moving forward. So if the motion did not carry >> and then the next thing is the evaluation process slide four. >> No, but I hope everyone realizes that what you're saying is >> point of order. Chair

156the vote happened. The vote happened. We can't keep right >> because that's against the ethics. >> This is what we what we work on. Once a vote is taken you just that's it. Okay. Um, but chairman is is going to vote on the the next slide of the evaluation. >> Yeah, because I'm trying to find the bullet, Mike to read it. Okay. Um, the evaluation should be sent to Margaret and send to Glenda >> or to Chris instead of Glenda. Yeah, Chris is Chris is going to do the um counting of the of the and I'm going to I'm just reading what the color says. Um send it to >> It says in here evaluation should be sent to Barbad Susa instead of Glenda, >> but this says to Chris. So I just want to

157make sure we know where we're sending it. >> It really needs to be sent to Okay. >> Wait. Is a quorum of a three member committee allowed to do that together? >> It has to go to one member. >> Yeah, it can only go to one member because it it kind of smacks of open meeting law. >> That was the last. >> Yeah, it just has to be one person. So, >> um the slide says >> Chris, you're getting them. >> Okay. >> Yeah. Yeah. I was wondering cuz I remember when I did it with Kelly one year, I think it said on the schedule that one received it and then was sent to the other one for review. >> Yeah. Like double check. >> Yeah. So I I didn't see that in the um

158but I'm I don't know if that's something that can be added in there in terms of it being sent either to Margaret to me or to you. Okay. Okay. So, all right. And then um the superintendent's evaluation presentation is moved to April 6th. Okay. Is that because we had the town meeting date? Okay. Yeah. Cuz this is classically held in the library before the town meeting in the board school. Okay. So, now are we going to see this market or No, >> we did already. >> Okay. All right. I want that. Okay. So, the next item on the agenda. >> No, we have to vote on that >> on what the changes. >> Oh, changing the timeline. Okay. Sorry. >> All right. So, is there a motion to >> So, I'll make a motion. >>

159Second. >> Do those two things as presented on this. >> Okay. Um, there's no discussion yet. Mike, >> I just have one question. Did the date change get run by the superintendent? >> Yes. >> Okay. We didn't have a choice because >> Okay. It was wrong in our agenda that was that we were actually having a meeting on April 13th which we are not speaking actually. >> Just want to make sure. >> But thank you for that. >> Okay. So voting on the moving the date to April 6th. Also yes >> yes. >> Nevin yes. >> Susie yes. >> Sadus yes. Okay, so that's it for our votes. Everyone send it. Just to reiterate, you're sending them to Chris and the process will be done on April 6th. Next item on the agenda is to

160ask on the K by mini grants FY26 totaling $3,460. >> Motion to accept the grant. >> Second. >> Okay. before a vote. Lori, do you have anything to add about it? >> Um, we have uh there were eight people that were um getting grants on the I don't know if you want to know what the grants were the projects were or not. I do have that information. >> That's good news. Yeah, that would be nice to hear. >> All right. So, um a teacher easel um I see me in speed. I'm not even sure what that is. Um the nibble nook the math uh uh for the math team. um own places we will go. Um hope squad uh rain and snow that got cut off. I don't know what happened there. And then uh

161seeing the science uh project so can all kinds of things math team and science and >> that's awesome. >> Reading and all right so are we ready to vote then? Okay. Margaret >> Susy. Yes. >> Nevin. Yes. >> Yes. >> Coen. Yes. >> Gusty. Yes. >> Logan. Yes. >> Love. Yes. >> Maderas. Yes. Okay. Act on FY26 global future fund grant $4,000. SC science department. >> I make a motion to second. >> Second. >> Lori, will you speak to that? >> Um yes. They are updating um some of their equipment and uh the purpose is to separate DNA, RNA um or proteins u by their various sizes. commonly used in bacteria and microorganisms in research pl um placids and detect harmful bacteria uh such as uh what I can't say I'm sorry I'm going to

162I'm going to skip that science word in insects and someone else might be able to anyway so it's a it's a science and it sounds very interesting I think the kids would love that so we need to update our material or and it is a and it's a grant so that's great >> that's Okay. So, I'm going to go wild and start voting myself this time. Maderas, yes. >> Yes. >> Well, yes. >> Susie, yes. >> Yes. >> Okay. Unanimous. Thank you. Next is to act on the donation from the arts access in the amount of $1,680. >> I make accept. >> Okay. Are there any information, Lori? >> Yes. It's a donation to Jane Baker's class to support the honors art and AP students field trip, the Harvard Museum of Art History, um the

163Fog Art Museum and uh SA district in Boston. Having been on one of those trips this year, I can't say enough. The kids um work really hard at each place they go. I mean, they just focus on the art and drawing and um it's it's just wonderful and there's a lot of um work that has to go in to coordinate that. So, I always like to say thank you to Jane and my mind just lost the English teacher's name. Um Lauren Lauren. >> Yeah, Lauren King. Okay. Um there's a lot of uh paperwork to get that ready. So anyway, um voting. Let's start with um Margaret. >> Yes. >> Never. >> Yes. >> Augusta. Yes. >> London. Yes. >> Less. >> Maderas. Yes. Okay. Act on the 214 econo van E150. The VIN. Do I

164really have to say the VIN? Yeah. VIN number 45814S surplus. This vehicle has 249,000 miles um and would be too closely uh too costly, sorry, to repair. Um the registration um has expired. It's not expired yet, but it's unable to get the inspection. >> Well, let's not go to >> All right. So, vote to um name it as surplus. Um Kelly, >> well, just real quickly, someone has to make a motion. motion. >> Oh, I thought we did. Sorry. >> Katrina Halen, >> thank you. >> Love. Yes. >> Dusty. Yes. Yes. >> Halen. Yes. >> Lemon. Yes. >> Susie. Yes. >> And Maderas. Yes. Okay. Routine business. Act on on the minutes of March 10th, 2026. Make a motion to approve the orange ones at our seat. >> Orange. Oh, >> salmon. >> Yeah. Um

165Sharon, can you give us a quick update on a change or >> um Kelly mentioned that Katrina had asked for more items to be discussed and so I added two. I believe it's at the last page. I think it was protocol for legal counsel is new. >> So we're adding um two more requests for that Katrina made. >> Correct. >> All right. >> Okay. >> Thank you, Kelly. >> No problem. >> Okay. So, um with that edit, is there a motion to accept these? So, um I made a motion to accept the orange ones at our seat. I >> second that short Kelly >> Welch. Yes. >> Yes. >> Maduras. Yes. Okay. Are there any committee reports? >> Oh, we actually have one. Yay. Press recognized. >> Oh, yeah. That was a good job. >>

166Yeah, we we all three finally got to student advisory. It hadn't happened, but all three of us were there yet this year. This was the last one. We all managed to be there and Lori and Sonia and Carmela were all there as well. And it was a great meeting. There were a lot of kids. And >> do you want to add anything? >> Dr. Harris was there. >> Oh, Dr. Harris was there. That's true. >> And we discussed uh good stuff with the kids. The kids had some good ideas about absenteeism and um >> yeah, good time. talk about sports. >> It's always nice to be with them. >> Yeah. And and and I think one thing for me, one thing that kind of stood out um was kind of related to the Desi reports

167is how we how we handle absences versus how the state handles absences where from the state's perspective, it's a little more harsh in terms of where any absence, whether it's medically excused or none, is all lumped together. Whereas as a district, we handle them separately. So where where it would just look worse on from the desi standpoint in terms of absences. So that was just kind of one example that that was really interesting that that kind of just stood out in my mind. >> Okay. Thank thank you for the update especially about kids. Okay. Oh I have one too. >> Yeah. Um so on Thursday, last Thursday was um an ELAC meeting that um hosted the Kid Cod Council of Churches and Latinx in Action. Um, it was via Zoom and I will tell you

168what it is about when I go to the English version, April 9th because it was in Portuguese and I understood very very little of it, but I still thought it was important to, you know, be there. And as I told Henry, like it's it's good to be reminded of why translation and interpretation are so important. And you can't really feel it until you sit in a meeting for an hour and you have no idea what's happening. So, it was a good exercise. Um, and then come April 9th, I'll tell you what it was about. >> Um, any other committee reports? I guess I would say um the collaborative is a great place, but it's going to be even greater. I know because um we're going to have we're going to have um another for person

169from the great place of found go there and offer what they learned in F to them. Okay. By Sonia, we're going to miss you Sonia. And when you were going when I read your thing, it was such it was beautiful as an English teacher would write something and I do you remember was it room 220 that we were next door to go Sonia and I taught and that was in the smelly days whenever the we were on the end of the building where the >> HVAC system was or whatever and literally your clothes would come out smelling like that stuff but and we were in we won't Say what year will we sign? So >> when Sunday's last day >> or when when are you leaving us on? >> Yeah. >> At the end of

170the um >> year two days. >> Okay. >> You and Sharon. Oh man. >> Yeah. Yeah. >> A cake. >> Yeah. >> Celebratory cake. >> To celebrate. Okay. Um, request for followup. Um, >> sort of appropo to what, um, Kelly had mentioned, I think I asked several months ago, um, I would be very interested in having the, um, director or the team that uh, provides the EL services come to talk to the committee to talk about the EL program. >> Okay. Yes. Mike. >> Um, I've asked I want to do the the grade configuration. It came up earlier, which is one of the big things. So, I would like to make a motion that we discuss and act on the grade configuration at the next meeting. >> Next meeting is town meeting. Short one, >>

171the following meeting. The next full meeting. >> Okay. So, you made a motion >> uh to discuss and act. >> Yeah. >> No, I won't second that. It's just as possibly act. >> Discuss impossibly act. >> We never have that on the channel. >> So my so my concern is that the whole process is is seems to be tied up on this great configuration and we have received numerous public input. We got information from Sonia at the last meeting of the round table and we have more uh surveys in. So if that is the only thing holding up, you know, holding the next phase back, we need to act on that sooner than later. >> Okay. So you've made a motion, so we have to vote on it. Correct. >> Well, nobody second. >> Someone

172has to second it first. >> What is the motion exactly? To discuss or to discuss and act? >> Discuss and possibly act. >> To discuss. Can we say that? >> Yeah, we can. Yeah. Okay. >> Okay. >> All right. Kelly. >> Uh, yeah. >> Was it second? >> Loving yes. >> Wait, who seconded it? Wasn't second. >> Oh, second. >> I'll second. Love. >> Loving. Yes. >> Yes. >> Okay. But dearest, you know what? I'm going to abstain. >> Um, is that it? >> That's it. >> Okay. So, on the same um line, I am going to make a motion to um place dis. What is it? Sorry. Whoops, I lost it. Um to place, discuss, and act on a school committee survey of families regarding the grade configuration at Lawrence School. That would be

173at our April 6th meeting agenda and for the survey to go out hopefully in the school emails like a school committee survey from us to the families in the school email prior to the vacation. Is that possible? If we have it on April 6th, >> you have 45 minutes. I'm sorry. >> It'll be the Friday before vacation, I guess. Or no, we have our meeting on a Monday. If we voted and acted, then it could go out in that Friday email before vacation because >> that Friday just simple one day. Is that Good Friday or is it the whole vacation? >> Well, it'll be their end of week email. >> It's just Good Friday. >> Yeah, it's separated from the vacation. >> Okay. So, the motion would be um to place on our April 6th

174agenda discuss and act on the school committee putting out a survey of families and staff regarding grade configuration at Lawrence School. >> I'll second. >> Okay, that's just a yes or no. >> Just a yes or no. Do we want to put out a survey so we can hear, >> you know, more than what I got? >> Would we hear who would write it or >> I don't know how that process works to put out a survey. We've never heard >> Excuse me. I think it would be you. >> It would be me writing it. >> Well, with with other people could collaborate, but because that's what Sean had said from mass that we could put us. >> Maybe you, Glenda, and Melissa. >> Yeah. >> Okay. The three the three um officers. >> No.

175Are you okay? >> I'm good. I'm good. >> Okay. And Melissa's not here, so we can make her do what we want. >> Okay. All right. All right. So, that's um the motion. Any other any comments? >> Yeah. Is this a discuss and possibly act or discuss and act? >> Well, the goal now that Mike has put his thing in, the goal would be to get back feedback. We've only gotten two people saying that they want eighth grade in the high school. I would like to hear from more people, >> you know, cuz I did the newspaper and we got a bunch, but you know, it' be better to just let it equitably go to every single parent in the district and have that be formal from all the committee hopefully before we make that

176decision. And all it would cost would be the three officers time, right? Because it's an email, correct? >> All right. >> Well, it has to be compiled once it comes back. >> Well, that's what I meant. The three officers. >> Well, we can we can hash out the logistics when we have the discussion about it. >> Um, but just having it on the agenda is what you're asking. >> Okay. Give it a chance before we make our decision. >> Okay. So, I'm just wondering if that April 6th meeting has enough time allotted to um is already something that's on the agenda for them, right? >> It's the superintendent's evaluation >> and you only have so many minutes before the start of town, >> although we're having a lot of conversation now, so it might just

177be a yes or no then. >> I don't know. >> Yeah, Margaret. >> Well, the other thing I think is >> I'm sorry, Mike really had his hand up first. We haven't been doing the hands up, but go ahead. >> I said one thing that and I agree with what Sue is saying and what we've done in the past is get our packets the Friday before. So, this is a lot on you three, but if you could have the survey done before that meeting, then all we're doing is a yay or nay, it would not be that time construct constriction. >> Oh, I have an idea. >> It's mother. >> Oh, sorry. >> Sorry. >> So, Glenda and I and Melissa will do that. Yeah, I think making a survey and you know doing you

178know those kinds of things take considerable amount of time and thought. So if we're going to see it um I think we need time to really evaluate it and I think the April 6 meeting is going to be a abbreviated meeting at best. You know it's just a time frame. >> Okay, those are the comments. Now is a vote because it's a motion, right? Oh, Chris, you want to say something else? >> It was more just a clarifying question. So this is the committee to vote to put out send out a survey. >> Okay. Gotcha. So So it's not we're not going to get one to look at. >> Yes. You're going to get it before. >> Okay. >> So not at that meeting. >> Not at that meeting. No. We'll get it out the

179door before. >> Okay. So it's just a vote just to have you have the three officers put out a survey and then we'll have a discussion. All right. Any other clarifi? >> Um, I like the idea. I just wish we would have thought about it earlier. Um, I just I'm not comfortable with the timeline. It seems too fast to me. So, >> can I I'm sorry. Before Before people vote, can I offer an alternative? We have I have asked for it many times. It's been discussed in public meeting. We could just vote on it now. It would not be breaking of a meeting law. has been discussed numerous times. I've made requests for it. Um I think it's conceivably fine for us to vote on it now and then we wouldn't have to do it

180on April 6th and we have no time. >> But they haven't seen what we've written yet. So >> who No. No. Then you would put the survey together and we would see it on April 6th. I think >> we'd have to vote again. So again it would make that much difference. Yes. >> Yeah. >> So So no, just because I just it rushed to Okay. um uh bumping yes as long as the officers are okay with that. >> So no because I don't think it gives the officers enough time. >> Okay. >> Uh yes >> no because of the time frame. >> Okay. Yes. I say yes. So how many is that? >> 53. >> Okay. So we'll be busy. All right. >> Any other followup? >> Yep. the same ones from last time that

181you guys didn't want me to make motions on. So, um, sorry. Um, I make a motion to place on a future agenda item. I don't have a specified date, but soonish. Um, a discussion of returning the administration building to the town. Just discussion. No action. >> I'll second for discussion. I have discussion. Um the the motion that you had made discusses giving the school the the administration building back to the town. Would you be friendly to amend that to something more so of future options the administration building because it's pigeon hole? >> Oh, sure. So discussion of >> future alternative uses for the administration building. Is that better? >> I will second that. Yeah. >> Okay. >> Any comments or questions? Okay. Well, Chris, >> just a qu, you know, I'm just, you know, I

182I don't know what what the remaining committee's um kind of schedule looks like in terms of what we have on the agenda to discuss. So, you know, I just I'm just bringing that up in in terms of if we have enough time if that's something that's as critical to to deal with right now or >> it's not time sensitive, so I didn't give a timeline for when. that helps. But >> um Okay. Um I know Lori, may I say that Lori and I had a discussion that we've tal Is that all right for? Yeah. And the town is it not >> They're not interested at this time right now. >> They are also taking one step at a time and their next step is to study the the school. So, I would think could I

183ask you to make that motion after we're done with the grade configurations and the other things? >> I just keep trying since October. So, >> okay. >> All right. Fine. We'll put that one on hold. >> Okay. >> Redraw withdraw the motion. >> It might be best for the uh other the new members of the school committee, the new uh configuration committee to take up. >> I I bring it up again and again because select board members have told me they are interested in that building. So, I don't know who the town is in this instance, but select board members have expressed interest and so that's why I keep >> I think it's a valid point discussion. Um, but I think it would be um fair to have new members because we're going to have

184two members. >> Okay. All right. Withdraw that one. On to the next. We're trying to get done here. Um, >> yes. >> Oh, so the attendance boundary lines was the other one. um make a motion to place discuss hiring a consultant or vendor to examine redrawing boundary attendance lines for the elementary schools. And that would be examine what it would look like with fifth grade in the elementary school or not. What it would look like if we had three elementary schools or not. It's just examine and look at it. And I hear Kelly's concerned about cost, but um I'm still going to make that motion to have a discussion about it because we started it in November and we never picked it up again. And I think we should just give ourselves the opportunity to

185discuss it and find out how we feel about it in a proper venue. >> I'll second that discussion only. >> Okay. Is there any discussion on it? >> Okay. I kind of think we're going to get some of that information when we're in the feasibility cuz the town meeting is going to vote it. I'm saying that you know give um vote the money. I I kind of thought from what I read amongst stuff we got from them that that will be kind of things that they do um too. Am I >> they do they do an enrollment part for the whole district and I think they >> people have said about um fire or department rules for amount and numbers of people in the building and they didn't think that was enough. I think they

186also do educational um >> that is >> there's educational um >> the educational piece will be for the Lawrence. >> Yeah. Okay. Wait, can I amend my motion? >> Um so they're they'll be doing that I think somewhat. So >> okay. What I'm interested in what I'm angling at here is to give the opportunity for us to discuss whether or not moving attendance boundary lines as a concept after 20 years of not doing that is something that the committee is interested in. So, take out the vendor. Can I make a motion to place a discussion of whether or not moving attendance boundary lines I don't know how to phrase this. A discussion of moving attendance boundary lines to a future agenda. >> Okay. Is there a second? >> Second. >> Any questions or comments? >>

187Okay. A vote. Um Margaret? >> Yeah. I I think we could vote today. I don't think that's an issue for any of the school committee members. >> So, how are you voting? >> Yes. Yeah. No discussion from today. >> Yes. >> Um, no. I Well, no. I don't think we should be taking things out of order. I want to deal with the first thing first. >> Okay. >> Not opposed to it. I just want to deal with things in the order. >> All right. My dear, yes. So here, >> sorry to hold you all up with that. That's the new way that Sean and Glenn proposed and it takes time. Sorry about that. >> Okay. After we voted, then we're all set, right? Okay. Any more motion to adjurnn then? >> Second. >> Okay. All

188those in favor? >> Okay. The meeting is adjourned. I got to tell someone for not doing